What to know about Trump's new travel ban on 12 countries
Nearly five months into his second term, President Donald Trump Wednesday signed a new travel ban restricting entry into the United States from 12 countries and imposing visa limitations on seven others. The order revives Trump's immigration agenda that he had pushed for during his first term and is aimed at curbing what he described as a potential surge in immigration.
The current ban is scheduled to take effect at 12:01 am Monday (June 9), giving government agencies and travellers a narrow window to adjust.
A travel ban is a federal policy that prohibits or restricts nationals from specific countries from entering the United States. The restrictions can vary, ranging from full entry bans to limited suspensions of specific visa categories.
Trump's latest proclamation is a revival of his policy from his first term, which barred travel from several countries. Five of the countries affected in that order appear again in this new list.
The ban comes days after a deadly attack in Boulder, Colorado, allegedly carried out by an Egyptian national. While Egypt is not included in the ban, President Trump cited the attack as a reminder of the risks posed by individuals who overstay visas or who come from nations with poor screening practices.
The order divides nations into two categories: those under a complete travel ban and those facing visa restrictions. The majority are located in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
The Trump administration offered three main reasons:
1. Lack of document security and screening capabilities: Countries such as Afghanistan, Libya, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Venezuela were cited for having unreliable authorities when it comes to issuing passports or screening nationals traveling abroad.
2. High visa overstay rates: Nations like Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Haiti, Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan were included due to large numbers of nationals who overstayed visas in the U.S.
3. Links to terrorism or state-sponsored terror: Countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Cuba and Sudan were flagged for alleged involvement in or support for terrorism.
The ban grants exemptions to green card holders, including those who have a pathway to US citizenship, the White House order stated. People holding dual citizenship, one with the US and another with a banned country, are also exempted. Individuals seeking visas through immediate family ties to US citizens will not be affected either, the order added.
Given that the United States is one of the hosts of the World Cup in 2026, and the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, athletes and coaches traveling for sporting events, along with their families, will still be allowed to enter the country.
Refugees who have already been granted asylum are also exempted. Afghan nationals who had supported the US government during the decades-long war following the September 11, 2001, terror attacks fall under this exception as well.
Finally, Iranians fleeing religious persecution, particularly those from minority communities such as Christians, are also exempted from the ban.
In 2017, shortly after taking office, President Trump introduced an executive order banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. That order, widely known as the 'Muslim ban', had triggered chaos at airports, legal challenges, and nationwide protests. Over time, the ban evolved through multiple iterations and was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Unlike the 2017 ban, this new proclamation provides a brief window before implementation and includes some specific exemptions.
Jan 27, 2017: First travel ban introduced. Entry into the US was barred for people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.
Feb 3, 2017: A federal judge blocked the ban in Washington v. Trump.
Mar 6, 2017: The Trump administration introduced a second travel ban, removing Iraq from the list. The ban also exempted those with an existing green card or valid visa.
Mar 15, 2017: Two federal judges blocked core provisions of the ban, ruling that the most important section — banning travel from half a dozen countries — could not be enforced.
Sept 24, 2017: Third travel ban was introduced. Entry was barred for most citizens of Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. Iranian nationals with valid student and exchange visitor visas were allowed to enter.
Dec 4, 2017: The Supreme Court allowed the third ban to take effect while legal challenges continued.
Apr 10, 2018: Travel restrictions on Chad were removed after the country agreed with the administration's security concerns.
June 26, 2018: The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to uphold the third travel ban, saying the president has authority over national security concerns relating to immigration.
Jan 31, 2020: Fourth travel ban introduced. Immigrants from Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania were barred from entering the US, but tourists and others entering on a temporary basis were not.
Jan 20, 2021: Upon taking office, President Biden revoked all of Trump's travel bans.
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