U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation that tightened immigration rules for citizens from 19 countries, reigniting global debate on immigration and human rights.
President Trump justified the ban as a necessary measure to “protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors.” He cited a recent flamethrower attack on a Jewish protest in Colorado by an Egyptian national as a motivating incident, despite Egypt not being included in the ban.
Trump stated, “The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted. We don’t want them.”
He also noted that the banned countries were identified for having a “significant presence of terrorists,” poor cooperation on visa security, inability to verify traveller identities, high rates of visa overstays, and deficient criminal record-keeping.
This decision, part of his broader crackdown on immigration, affects both travel and visa eligibility for nationals from across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia.
As reported by Al Jazeera, in 2022, Venezuela had 250,234 admissions, Haiti had 66,563, and Cuba had 13,079 admissions, making them among the most impacted by the new restrictions. Somalia had 207 admissions in 2022, making it one of the countries with fewer admissions now facing a full ban.
The policy outlines two tiers: 12 countries facing a complete travel ban and 7 others facing partial restrictions. Let’s break it down in simple terms.
Who Is Fully Banned from Entering the U.S.?
Citizens from the following 12 countries now face a complete suspension on all immigrant and non-immigrant visas:
- Afghanistan
- Myanmar
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
If you’re a national of any of these countries and were hoping to move to, study in, or even visit the U.S., the doors are firmly shut, unless you fall under one of the exceptions (more on that later).
Countries Facing Partial Restrictions
Seven countries have been placed under partial bans. This means not all visa types are off the table, but a lot of key ones are:
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Laos
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
Citizens of these nations are now restricted from applying for immigrant visas (permanent residence or green card paths) and several types of non-immigrant visas like student visas (F, M, J) and tourist/business visas (B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2).
However, some temporary visa options still exist, though they are limited and vary depending on the country.
How the Travel Ban Will Be Enforced
The travel ban, unlike an executive order, is issued as a presidential proclamation. While it doesn’t have the same legal force as an executive order, it still carries significant policy weight. The rules apply only to individuals.
- Outside the United States at the time of the proclamation
- Without a valid visa already issued before the proclamation was signed
So, if you’re already in the U.S. with a valid visa or green card, this ban doesn’t apply to you. However, it slammed the door shut for many others who were still in the process of applying.
Who’s Exempt? Key Exceptions Explained
There are several exceptions built into the ban. These are mostly for humanitarian, diplomatic, or family-based immigration reasons. Those exempt include:
- Green card holders (lawful permanent residents)
- People with valid visas issued before the proclamation
- Diplomats under specific visa categories
- Dual nationals, if they are travelling on a passport from a country not affected by the ban
- Athletes and support teams attending international events like the World Cup or the Olympics
- Family immigrants, such as spouses, children, or parents of U.S. citizens, provided they can prove their relationship (sometimes even via DNA)
- Adoptees
- Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders
- U.S. government employees and their families, under special visa categories
- Religious and ethnic minorities in Iran are facing persecution
These carve-outs show that while the ban is sweeping, it isn’t entirely airtight. Still, the burden of proof lies heavily on the applicant to justify their exception.
Why These Countries?
While no official list of criteria was released to the public, analysts say the targeted countries were selected based on perceived weaknesses in security screening, data sharing with the U.S., or political tensions. Many of them are either conflict zones, authoritarian states, or have strained diplomatic relationships with Washington.
African Union’s Response
The African Union (AU) expressed serious concern over the new travel ban, particularly as it targets seven African nations for full restriction (Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan) and three more for partial restriction (Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo).
While acknowledging the sovereign right of nations to secure their borders, the AU warned that the ban risks damaging long-standing diplomatic, educational, and economic ties between the U.S. and Africa.
The AU statement emphasised the potential to undermine “people-to-people ties, educational exchange, commercial engagement, and broader diplomatic relations that have been nurtured with the US over decades.”
It called on the U.S. to adopt a “more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned,” appealing for “transparent communication” and collaborative efforts to address the underlying issues informing the decision.
