President Trump signed a new proclamation Wednesday imposing travel restrictions on individuals from 12 countries, reviving a policy from his first term and citing national security risks as the primary justification.
The order imposes full travel bans on nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. In addition, it places partial restrictions on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Certain exemptions apply. Individuals from these countries who already hold U.S. visas or lawful permanent residency status are not subject to the ban. The order also allows for case-by-case exceptions if an individual’s entry is deemed to be in the national interest of the United States.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the action in a statement posted to X, saying the move is part of Trump’s continued efforts to safeguard Americans.
“President Trump is keeping his word by taking strong action to block dangerous individuals from entering the country,” Jackson wrote. “These restrictions are based on data. They target countries that either lack sufficient vetting procedures, have high visa overstay rates, or fail to cooperate in sharing security and identity information.”
This latest action follows an earlier executive order signed by Trump on his first day back in office, which directed agencies to enhance background checks and tighten screening procedures for all immigrants and visitors entering the country.