President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation implementing a travel ban on nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Haiti, and the Republic of Congo, citing concerns about national security and immigration enforcement. The affected nations also include Burma, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The proclamation states that some of these countries either failed to cooperate with U.S. immigration policies or lacked sufficient vetting and screening measures to ensure safe entry into the country. Trump emphasized that these restrictions aim to protect national security by preventing individuals from entering the U.S. from places where identity verification and background checks are inadequate.
Additionally, the administration has imposed partial travel restrictions on seven other nations—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. While individuals from these countries are not entirely banned from entry, certain visa programs have been suspended, limiting access to the U.S. for specific categories of travelers. The government justified these measures by highlighting issues such as high visa overstay rates and noncompliance with immigration protocols, suggesting that these nations exhibited a disregard for U.S. immigration laws.
The restrictions outlined in the proclamation are scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday, June 9, 2025. Immigration advocates and policy experts have expressed concerns about the broader implications of such a ban, particularly on families and individuals seeking asylum or reunification with relatives in the United States. The move builds upon Trump’s previous immigration policies, including earlier travel bans during his first term, reinforcing his administration’s focus on tightening border security and controlling the flow of foreign nationals into the country.