Washington D.C., June 9, 2025 — A new travel ban signed by former President Donald Trump has come into effect this Monday, barring citizens from 12 primarily African and Middle Eastern countries from entering the United States, as tensions escalate over immigration enforcement.

The ban affects nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on travelers from Venezuela, Cuba, Laos, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan who are outside the U.S. and do not possess a valid visa.

Unlike the initial travel bans during Trump’s first term, this version appears more strategically crafted to resist legal challenges. While previously issued visas remain valid, new applications will be rejected unless they meet strict exemption criteria.

Trump justified the measure by citing weak passport screening systems in certain countries and referencing an annual Homeland Security report on visa overstays. He also connected the policy to a recent terrorist attack in Colorado, though the perpetrator was not from a banned country.

Human rights organizations and refugee advocacy groups have condemned the move. Oxfam America's president called it “a divisive policy that vilifies vulnerable communities.”

Notably, the ban allows exceptions for Afghan nationals holding Special Immigrant Visas — individuals who assisted U.S. forces during the war in Afghanistan.