On June 4th, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed a sweeping travel ban that bars nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States. The ban, set to take effect on June 9, also imposes partial restrictions on seven additional countries.
The administration cited national security concerns, pointing to inadequate vetting procedures, high visa overstay rates, and a lack of cooperation in repatriating deportees.
The move follows a recent antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, involving an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa.
Although Egypt is not among the banned countries, the incident was used to emphasise the need for stricter immigration controls.
The full ban affects nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
The partial restrictions apply to Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, limiting access to certain visa categories such as tourist and student visas.
Critics argue that the policy disproportionately targets Muslim-majority and African nations, drawing comparisons to Trump's 2017 "Muslim Ban," which faced legal challenges prior to being upheld by the Supreme Court.
The Democrat representative from Washington, Pramila Jayapal, condemned the new ban as discriminatory and harmful to US interests.
“Banning a whole group of people because you disagree with the structure or function of their government only lays blame in the wrong place, it creates a dangerous precedent,” she said on X.
The White House maintains that the ban is a necessary measure to protect national security and ensure the integrity of the US immigration system.
President Trump stated, "We will restore the travel ban... and keep the radical Islamic terrorists out of our country."
A further investigation into how many people from these 12 countries are currently residing in the US is underway, with the objective of suspending visas granted under the former Biden administration.
The policy is expected to face legal challenges and has sparked international criticism, particularly from countries with significant diaspora communities in the United States.
Advocates also warn that the ban could lead to family separations and economic disruptions, especially in US communities with large immigrant populations from the affected countries.
