Trump travel ban: US imposes entry ban on 12 nations, adds restrictions on 7 others
US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation reintroducing a sweeping travel ban on nationals from 12 countries and imposing restrictions on travellers from seven others. The order, announced late Wednesday, takes effect from 12:01 a.m. Monday.
'The Proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries found to be deficient with regard to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States,' the White House said in a statement.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson added, 'President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm.'
The list stems from a January 20 executive order requiring US agencies to assess whether foreign nations exhibit 'hostile attitudes' or represent entry risks.
Which countries are on the ban list?
Twelve nations face full entry bans. These are: Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
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Afghanistan
The country is governed by the Taliban, designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group. It lacks central authority and credible screening systems. Overstay rates remain high—9.7% for B1/B2 visas and 29.3% for student/exchange visas.
Burma (Myanmar)
Overstay rates top 27% for tourists and 42% for students and exchange visitors. The US has also criticised Burma's failure to cooperate in accepting deported nationals.
Chad
According to the 2023 Overstay Report, Chad recorded a 49.54% overstay rate for business/tourist visas and 55.64% for student visas. The 2022 figures were similarly high, described by the US as a "blatant disregard for U.S. immigration laws".
Republic of the Congo
Business/tourist overstay rate is 29.63%, and student-related overstays are at 35.14%.
Equatorial Guinea
Tourist overstays are 21.98%, but 70.18% of students and exchange visitors overstayed—one of the highest rates reported.
Eritrea
The US cited poor documentation, no access to criminal records, and a history of refusal to accept deportees. Visa overstay rates exceed 20% for tourists and 55% for students.
Haiti
Haiti's tourist overstay rate is 31.38%. The student visa overstay rate is lower at 25.05%, but the US pointed to mass illegal migration during Biden's term as a compounding issue.
Iran
Labelled a state sponsor of terrorism, Iran is accused of failing to cooperate on security and repatriation. The White House considers it a high-risk origin for terrorism.
Libya
Lacking a functioning government or vetting systems, Libya also has a long-standing terrorist presence, which, the White House claims, poses a continued threat.
Somalia
Called a terrorist safe haven, Somalia lacks control over its territory. Its government struggles to regulate movement or process civil documentation, according to the US. Overstay figures weren't published, but past data and refusal to accept deportees were cited.
Sudan
Visa overstay rates are 26.3% for business travellers and 28.4% for students. Similar to Somalia, Sudan lacks centralised control and functional documentation procedures.
Yemen
Yemen's government has little territorial control. The country has been an active site of US military operations since January 2025. The White House says no reliable vetting is possible.
Who faces partial restrictions?
The travel order also imposes limited restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. These nations are cited as posing a 'high level of risk,' though the proclamation does not completely ban entry.
A political flashback to 2017
Trump's move mirrors his controversial 2017 travel ban, which affected seven Muslim-majority nations and caused chaos at US airports. That ban was revised several times before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Joe Biden revoked the policy in 2021, calling it 'a stain on our national conscience.'
The new list includes several African countries—10 out of 19—with nine being majority Black African nations. Critics have noted that many, such as Sierra Leone and Togo, have no known extremist threats to the West.
Trump defended the renewed action, saying in his proclamation, 'I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people.'
Trump: 'We don't want 'em'
In a video posted on Truth Social, Trump referred to a recent incident in Colorado, where an Egyptian national was accused of firebombing pro-Israel demonstrators. Egypt is not on the travel ban list, but Trump used the case to underscore his point.
'We don't want 'em,' he said. 'There has been one terror attack after another carried out by foreign visa stayers from dangerous places.'
He went on to blame Biden's 'open-door policies' for letting 'millions of illegals' enter the country.
The strength of restrictions, he explained, 'depends on the severity of the threat posed,' adding that the list 'is subject to revision' if countries improve screening standards.
The ban is set to begin on Monday, but its implementation could face legal challenges or diplomatic backlash. The announcement also signals a return to hardline immigration policies, which could become a cornerstone of Trump's 2024 campaign messaging.
For now, nationals from 19 countries will face a sharply limited path to US entry—some barred entirely, others under heavy scrutiny. The focus, according to Trump, is national security. The impact, however, will be felt by thousands seeking education, refuge, business, or family reunions across US borders.
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