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Trump's new travel ban: Which countries are hit? How does it compare to his 2017 'Muslim ban'?
US President Donald Trump has reimposed travel restrictions on 19 countries like Afghanistan, Iran and Haiti, reviving a controversial immigration policy reminiscent of his 2017 'Muslim ban'. With bans or visa limits targeting nations across Africa, West Asia and Latin America, citing national security and visa overstay rates, how does this updated order compare to his earlier version? read more US President Donald Trump gestures during a "Summer Soiree" held on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, June 4, 2025. File Image/Reuters United States President Donald Trump has reinstated a sweeping travel ban targeting nationals from a list of countries deemed by his administration to pose security risks. The proclamation, signed on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, is set to take effect at 12:01 am EDT on June 9, echoing a resemblance to the infamous 2017 'Muslim ban.' The order imposes full travel bans on 12 countries and partial restrictions on seven others. While it bears structural similarities to the earlier version upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018, the latest iteration applies to a wider geographical range and includes different categories of exemptions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What the new travel ban comprises The latest travel proclamation bans nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States. These are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. In addition to the outright entry ban, visitors from seven countries — Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela — will face restrictions on immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories including B-1, B-2, F, M and J visas. The proclamation clearly states that it does not revoke visas issued prior to June 9, offering a degree of clarity that was absent during the rollout of the 2017 travel ban, which caused chaos at airports worldwide. It also outlines specific exceptions, including lawful permanent residents of the United States, dual nationals travelling on a passport from an unrestricted country, diplomats with valid non-immigrant visas, and athletes and their immediate families travelling for major international sports events. Notably, Afghan nationals with Special Immigrant Visas, as well as persecuted ethnic and religious minorities from Iran, are also exempt. Trump defended the rationale behind the move in a social media video, linking it to national security risks and the recent Colorado terror incident. 'We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,' Trump said. While the suspect in the Boulder attack was from Egypt — a nation not included in the new restrictions —Trump cited the case to highlight broader risks posed by visa overstays. How Trump's 2025 travel ban compares with 2017 Trump's original travel ban was launched through Executive Order 13769 on January 27, 2017, and applied to travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It also halted refugee resettlement and reduced the annual refugee admissions cap. The order was initially blocked in court, revised, and then replaced by other executive orders and presidential proclamations before a version was finally upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While both the 2017 and 2025 bans cite national security concerns and inadequate vetting as the main justifications, the countries listed in the latest order are not exclusively Muslim-majority. Instead, they are identified based on visa overstay rates, lack of cooperation with US immigration authorities or internal instability. For instance, Trump wrote that Afghanistan 'lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.' He also pointed to Haiti's 'lack of a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information.' Unlike in 2017, when travellers with existing visas were detained or turned back mid-journey, the 2025 version offers a grace period and clearer guidance. Visas issued before June 9 will remain valid, and legal permanent residents and others fitting exemption categories will still be allowed to enter. Trump's previous ban also underwent several iterations. The third version of the 2017 policy extended to include North Korea and certain Venezuelan government officials. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A later proclamation added countries like Nigeria, Tanzania and Myanmar, primarily targeting immigrant visa categories. US President Joe Biden revoked the 2017 ban in 2021, calling it 'a stain on our national conscience.' What the response has been As with the original travel ban, the new order has drawn heavy criticism from human rights groups and immigration advocates. 'To include Afghanistan — a nation whose people stood alongside American service members for 20 years — is a moral disgrace. It spits in the face of our allies, our veterans, and every value we claim to uphold,' said Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of #AfghanEvac. Aid organisations have also condemned the ban. Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, stated, 'This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States.' On the other hand, Trump and his supporters have defended the action as a necessary step to ensure that individuals entering the US are thoroughly vetted and do not pose threats. 'We don't want them,' Trump said, referring to visitors from countries with 'deficient' screening systems or those that refuse to repatriate citizens ordered to be deported. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The US Department of Homeland Security report on visa overstays played a central role in shaping the list. According to Trump, countries were included due to high percentages of overstays among tourists, business visitors, and students. What changed from 2017 Although the travel ban affects a range of countries, some of which were on previous lists, there are notable additions and exclusions. For instance, Haiti was not banned in Trump's first term but has been added now due to its rising visa overstay rates and ongoing domestic instability. Armed gangs control much of Port-au-Prince, and the country's weakened state infrastructure has been cited in justifying its inclusion. The reaction from countries affected has varied. While the Iranian government has not immediately responded, the US continues to classify Iran as a 'state sponsor of terrorism.' The ban excludes Iranian minorities holding special visas granted for cases of religious persecution. Other countries — such as Libya, Sudan and Yemen — continue to struggle with civil conflict and factional control, circumstances which, according to the Trump administration, make reliable screening difficult. This new policy is also part of a broader immigration clampdown under Trump's second term. Alongside the travel ban, his administration has taken steps to expel suspected gang members to El Salvador and restrict the access of certain foreign students. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The order originated from a January 20 directive requiring the Departments of State and Homeland Security, along with the Director of National Intelligence, to evaluate countries based on their perceived 'hostile attitudes' and threats posed to the United States. With inputs from agencies
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Meet Allison D Burroughs, judge who blocked Trump's SEVP action against Harvard
US District Judge Allison Dale Burroughs on Friday blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a ban on international students at Harvard University by suspending the school's SEVP certification. She ruled that the government can't enforce the ban, which it imposed the day before. The Obama-appointed judge's ruling came hours after Harvard sued the government in a Boston federal court. Burroughs has granted the university a temporary restraining order, finding that it would sustain 'immediate and irreparable injury' if the Department of Homeland Security directive went into effect. This means Harvard will not be forced to stop enrolling international students immediately. The TRO will remain in place until the court rules on Harvard's request for a longer-lasting injunction. A hearing on that request is set for May 29. Read More: Barron Trump got rejected by Harvard? Claims surface after university's SEVP revoked Allison Dale Burroughs is a US District Judge for the District of Massachusetts, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014 and confirmed in January 2015. Born in Boston in 1961, she graduated cum laude from Middlebury College (BA, 1983) and the University of Pennsylvania Law School (JD, 1988). Her legal career spans clerking for Judge Norma Shapiro (1988–89), serving as an Assistant US Attorney in Pennsylvania (1989–95) and Massachusetts (1995–2005), and practicing as a partner at Nutter McClennen & Fish (2005–14), where she handled complex criminal and civil cases. Read More: How China reacted as Donald Trump blocked foreign students' enrollment at Harvard University In 2017, she issued a TRO against Trump's Executive Order 13769, blocking the removal of travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, turning Boston Logan Airport into a safe haven. She also presided over a Harvard-MIT lawsuit challenging an ICE rule requiring international students to leave the US if taking online-only classes during COVID-19.
Time Business News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time Business News
Americans Brace for Trump's New Travel Ban: Second Passports in High Demand
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – As political observers brace for a major policy announcement, reports indicate that former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, may reintroduce a sweeping travel ban—potentially as early as Friday. Dubbed informally as 'Trump Travel Ban 2.0,' the measure is expected to bar or heavily restrict immigration and travel from a new list of countries, reviving a controversial hallmark of his first term in office. Amicus International Consulting, a global leader in second citizenship and legal identity change services, reports a surge in inquiries from U.S. residents, Middle Eastern families, and green card holders now fearing that existing travel freedoms will be curtailed. 'Clients are contacting us using record numbers. They remember 2017, when families were stranded at airports and green card holders were locked out of their own lives,' said a senior consultant at Amicus. 'If 'Travel Ban 2.0' becomes law, having a second passport could mean the difference between mobility and detention.' What Is Trump Travel Ban 2.0? While the final text of the executive order is pending, insider sources suggest that Trump Travel Ban 2.0 will be broader and more permanent than the 2017 ban (Executive Order 13769). It is expected to: Target up to 12 countries with either complete bans or intense visa scrutiny with either complete bans or intense visa scrutiny Affect both immigrant and non-immigrant visa holders Include mechanisms for automatic visa denial based on place of birth or dual nationality based on place of birth or dual nationality Reinstitute extreme vetting policies and introduce enhanced screening for asylum applicants The original travel ban faced legal challenges and multiple revisions, but was ultimately upheld in a narrowed form by the U.S. Supreme Court. This time, analysts believe the policy will be structured more carefully to withstand judicial review. Countries Potentially Affected According to leaked campaign briefing materials, the proposed list of targeted countries includes: Iran Syria Somalia Libya Yemen Iraq Sudan Nigeria Afghanistan Pakistan Lebanon Eritrea These nations are being flagged for reasons that include terrorism risks, visa fraud concerns, lack of cooperation on repatriation, and strained diplomatic ties. Sometimes, entire populations could be denied entry regardless of personal background or family ties. Amicus International's Response to the Announcement 'We are seeing a repeat of the same panic and confusion we saw eight years ago—but this time, people want to get ahead of it,' said an Amicus representative. 'Second citizenship is no longer seen as a luxury item. It's a safeguard—especially for those with dual national backgrounds or family in vulnerable regions.' Amicus is expanding staff to handle increased demand for: Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) programs in the Caribbean Legal name and identity change for stateless or blacklisted individuals Emergency travel documentation for dual nationals fearing repatriation Legal Risks: Dual Nationals and U.S. Residents in Limbo Under Trump's prior ban, dual nationals were sometimes denied boarding, entry, or detention—even if they were travelling on non-banned passports. Green card holders, legal permanent U.S. residents, were also detained and subjected to secondary questioning. Amicus warns that similar situations could arise again, and urges clients to take steps now: Apply for second citizenship or permanent residency in a neutral country Avoid booking international travel for the week following the policy rollout Keep physical and digital copies of all valid travel documents, including proof of nationality and legal residence Case Study: Tech Founder Prepares for Second Ban Faisal A., a Pakistani-American AI engineer and green card holder residing in Austin, Texas, contacted Amicus after learning that his family in Lahore might be unable to visit him for his wedding. His parents, currently waiting on U.S. tourist visas, fear being locked out for years. 'Even if they've done nothing wrong, my family could be punished by politics,' Faisal said. 'Amicus is helping us apply for Caribbean citizenship so we have a legal travel option that isn't politicized.' Economic Impacts: Students, Tech Workers, and Medical Experts at Risk In 2024 alone, U.S. universities welcomed over 150,000 students from countries now likely to appear on the new ban list. Similarly, the healthcare and engineering sectors rely heavily on foreign-born talent, many of whom are awaiting H1-B or family-sponsored visas. Amicus analysts say that Trump Travel Ban 2.0 could: Disrupt global supply chains and education exchanges Force multinational firms to relocate key staff Undermine trust in the U.S. visa system, driving talent to Europe, Canada, or Asia Increase demand for offshore banking and residence-by-investment programs in neutral jurisdictions Case Study: Nigerian Physician Chooses St. Kitts Over New Jersey Dr. Aminat A., a pediatrician from Lagos who completed her residency in New Jersey, opted not to renew her U.S. visa in 2023 after the first ban affected several of her colleagues. With the help of Amicus, she secured citizenship in St. Kitts & Nevis, where she now runs a mobile children's health program across the Caribbean. 'The unpredictability of U.S. immigration law made it impossible to plan my life,' she said. 'With St. Kitts, I'm not just safe—I'm respected.' Second Passport Programs That Offer Fast, Legal Relief Amicus International currently recommends the following fast-track citizenship or residency programs for those concerned about U.S. travel policy: St. Kitts & Nevis – Fastest route to citizenship (under 90 days) – Fastest route to citizenship (under 90 days) Dominica – Low-cost entry and strong diplomatic ties – Low-cost entry and strong diplomatic ties Grenada – Access to E-2 treaty visa with the U.S. and visa-free access to China – Access to E-2 treaty visa with the U.S. and visa-free access to China Vanuatu – Pacific option with no income tax and quick processing – Pacific option with no income tax and quick processing Portugal or Turkey – Residency-to-citizenship programs for EU or Eurasian mobility Frequently Asked Questions Will the ban apply to green card holders? While not confirmed, prior bans affected lawful permanent residents. Second citizenship may provide flexibility in such cases. Can U.S. citizens be banned from travel? Not directly, but U.S. citizens with ties to banned countries may face visa denials or enhanced scrutiny. Is getting a second passport legal? Yes. Dual citizenship is permitted under U.S. law. Amicus only works with legally recognized programs. How long does the process take? Caribbean passports: 3–6 months. EU residencies: 6–18 months, depending on country. About Amicus International Consulting Amicus International Consulting is a global authority on legal identity change, second citizenship acquisition, and international mobility solutions. With clients in over 60 countries, Amicus helps individuals secure legal, private, and freedom of movement across jurisdictions, especially during political and economic uncertainty. 📞 Contact InformationPhone: +1 (604) 200-5402Email: info@ Website:
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is Trump Imposing a New Travel Ban? Here's What to Know
President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2025. Credit - Roberto Schmidt—Getty Images The Trump Administration is reportedly considering a new travel ban for citizens of up to 43 countries—a potential escalation of Trump's first term travel ban which primarily targeted Muslim-majority countries. An internal memo, obtained and reviewed first by the New York Times and then by Reuters, suggests that the Trump Administration has included new countries in a draft of a 2.0 travel ban. Per the memo, the countries on the list would be sorted into three different tiers: red, orange, and yellow. Citizens from the 11 countries in the 'red' category would reportedly be flatly barred from entering the United States. The 11 countries listed include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The Times reported, though, that this list was formed by the State Department a few weeks ago and changes could well be made. Citizens from the countries in the 'orange' category—which includes Haiti, Russia, and Pakistan—would have their visas heavily restricted. Per the Times' reporting, citizens traveling to the U.S. from these countries would be subjected to 'mandatory in-person interviews' in order to receive a visa. The third category includes countries in the 'yellow' group—meaning they have 60 days to address concerns from the Administration, or else each country risks being moved up to the other categories. Countries reportedly listed under this category include Cambodia, Zimbabwe, and The Republic of Congo. The White House has yet to publicly comment on the reported memo. TIME has reached out to the White House for comment. Mention of a potential new travel ban by the Trump Administration comes shortly after the President was asked during a press briefing on Wednesday, March 12, about what countries might be targeted on his 2.0 list. He shut down the question from the reporter, saying: 'Wouldn't that be a stupid thing for me to say?' Trump made promises on his campaign trail, stating his intention to restore the travel ban which caught much attention during its initial introduction during his first term. His signing of an Executive Order titled 'Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats' on Jan. 20 only served to reaffirm his intentions. Here's a look back at the history of Trump's travel ban and what he has shared about his plans moving forward. In January 2017, a week after Trump entered office, Trump signed Executive Order 13769, titled 'Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States'—later referred to as the 'Muslim travel ban,' on account of the fact it largely targeted Muslim-majority nations. The ban barred entry of Syrian refugees and temporarily suspended the entry of individuals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The action triggered chaos at airports and sparked protests across the country. Judges in several states blocked the initial ban soon after it went into place in 2017, claiming that it targeted Muslim countries and discriminated against people for their nationality without justification, violating U.S. immigration law. Eventually the Supreme Court permitted a rewritten notion in which citizens from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen continued to be subject to the ban. They later upheld the ban in 2018. These countries could potentially be at risk again, should a 2.0 list be finalized. When former President Joe Biden entered office in 2021, he repealed the ban, calling it 'a stain on our national conscience' and 'inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all.' '[T]hey have separated loved ones, inflicting pain that will ripple for years to come. They are just plain wrong,' Biden said in the Executive Order announcing the end to the ban. While on the campaign trail in 2024, Trump vowed to reinstate his 2017 travel ban several times. In July, at a campaign rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Trump told the crowd that he would 'restore the travel ban, suspend refugee admissions, stop the resettlement, and keep the terrorists the hell out of our country' and that he would do so on 'day one' of his presidency. In a later campaign event in Washington, Trump said he would ban people from 'terrorist infested' areas and would 'seal our borders.' 'Remember the famous travel ban? We didn't take people from certain areas of the world,' Trump said at the event in September 2024. 'We're not taking them from infested countries.' Trump did not reintroduce his travel ban on 'day one' as promised, but on the first day of his second term, he did sign the Executive Order titled 'Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats.' Within the Executive Order, Trump called for the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence to submit a report 'identifying countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries.' A deadline of 60 days was given. If the timeline remains the same, this report is due to the President by next week. Although he may well have already received it. The Executive Order also called for the report to identify how many people from said countries had entered the United States since Biden was inaugurated as President. This was just one Executive Order in a slew of recent motions signed by Trump that look to drastically shift and harden the United States' immigration and visitation policy. Contact us at letters@
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Is Trump Imposing a New Travel Ban? Here's What to Know
President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2025. Credit - Roberto Schmidt—Getty Images The Trump Administration is reportedly considering a new travel ban for citizens of up to 43 countries—a potential escalation of Trump's first term travel ban which primarily targeted Muslim-majority countries. An internal memo, obtained and reviewed first by the New York Times and then by Reuters, suggests that the Trump Administration has included new countries in a draft of a 2.0 travel ban. Per the memo, the countries on the list would be sorted into three different tiers: red, orange, and yellow. Citizens from the 11 countries in the 'red' category would reportedly be flatly barred from entering the United States. The 11 countries listed include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. The Times reported, though, that this list was formed by the State Department a few weeks ago and changes could well be made. Citizens from the countries in the 'orange' category—which includes Haiti, Russia, and Pakistan—would have their visas heavily restricted. Per the Times' reporting, citizens traveling to the U.S. from these countries would be subjected to 'mandatory in-person interviews' in order to receive a visa. The third category includes countries in the 'yellow' group—meaning they have 60 days to address concerns from the Administration, or else each country risks being moved up to the other categories. Countries reportedly listed under this category include Cambodia, Zimbabwe, and The Republic of Congo. The White House has yet to publicly comment on the reported memo. TIME has reached out to the White House for comment. Mention of a potential new travel ban by the Trump Administration comes shortly after the President was asked during a press briefing on Wednesday, March 12, about what countries might be targeted on his 2.0 list. He shut down the question from the reporter, saying: 'Wouldn't that be a stupid thing for me to say?' Trump made promises on his campaign trail, stating his intention to restore the travel ban which caught much attention during its initial introduction during his first term. His signing of an Executive Order titled 'Protecting The United States From Foreign Terrorists And Other National Security And Public Safety Threats' on Jan. 20 only served to reaffirm his intentions. Here's a look back at the history of Trump's travel ban and what he has shared about his plans moving forward. In January 2017, a week after Trump entered office, Trump signed Executive Order 13769, titled 'Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States'—later referred to as the 'Muslim travel ban,' on account of the fact it largely targeted Muslim-majority nations. The ban barred entry of Syrian refugees and temporarily suspended the entry of individuals from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The action triggered chaos at airports and sparked protests across the country. Judges in several states blocked the initial ban soon after it went into place in 2017, claiming that it targeted Muslim countries and discriminated against people for their nationality without justification, violating U.S. immigration law. Eventually the Supreme Court permitted a rewritten notion in which citizens from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen continued to be subject to the ban. They later upheld the ban in 2018. These countries could potentially be at risk again, should a 2.0 list be finalized. When former President Joe Biden entered office in 2021, he repealed the ban, calling it 'a stain on our national conscience' and 'inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all.' '[T]hey have separated loved ones, inflicting pain that will ripple for years to come. They are just plain wrong,' Biden said in the Executive Order announcing the end to the ban. While on the campaign trail in 2024, Trump vowed to reinstate his 2017 travel ban several times. In July, at a campaign rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Trump told the crowd that he would 'restore the travel ban, suspend refugee admissions, stop the resettlement, and keep the terrorists the hell out of our country' and that he would do so on 'day one' of his presidency. In a later campaign event in Washington, Trump said he would ban people from 'terrorist infested' areas and would 'seal our borders.' 'Remember the famous travel ban? We didn't take people from certain areas of the world,' Trump said at the event in September 2024. 'We're not taking them from infested countries.' Trump did not reintroduce his travel ban on 'day one' as promised, but on the first day of his second term, he did sign the Executive Order titled 'Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and other National Security and Public Safety Threats.' Within the Executive Order, Trump called for the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence to submit a report 'identifying countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries.' A deadline of 60 days was given. If the timeline remains the same, this report is due to the President by next week. Although he may well have already received it. The Executive Order also called for the report to identify how many people from said countries had entered the United States since Biden was inaugurated as President. This was just one Executive Order in a slew of recent motions signed by Trump that look to drastically shift and harden the United States' immigration and visitation policy. Contact us at letters@
