Trump Bans Travel to US From 12 Countries, Citing National Security
Rabat – US President Donald Trump has signed a new order banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States, presenting the decision as needed to protect national security.
These countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
The ban will take effect on June 9, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. (EDT). In a video posted on X, Trump said, 'We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm.' He added that the list of countries could change in the future.
Travel from seven other countries will also be restricted, but not completely banned. These include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Trump said these countries were chosen because they have a 'large-scale presence of terrorists,' poor security cooperation, problems verifying traveler identities, and high numbers of people who overstay their visas.
Visas that were already issued before June 9 will remain valid, according to the order.
Somalia quickly responded, with its ambassador to the US, Dahir Hassan Abdi, saying his country wants to work with Washington to fix security issues. 'Somalia values its relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue,' he said.
Meanwhile, Venezuela's government criticized the move. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called the US fascist and said being in the country is now risky for Venezuelans. 'They persecute our people for no reason,' he added.
Trump's latest move is part of a bigger immigration crackdown launched during his second term. His administration also deported this year hundreds of Venezuelans suspected of gang ties and placed limits on foreign students.
In 2017, during his first term, Trump announced a travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries. That policy faced legal challenges but was upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018. President Joe Biden later removed that ban in 2021, calling it 'a stain on our national conscience.'
Trump is now bringing back tough restrictions, arguing they are necessary to protect the US. He pointed to a recent incident in Boulder, Colorado, where a man attacked a crowd marching in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
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