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Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump issues travel ban, bars Afghans from entry into US
President Donald Trump issued an executive order Wednesday blocking Afghan nationals from entering the U.S., another blow to Afghan allies seeking refuge in a country that has provided fewer and fewer pathways for their safety. The order, which goes into effect June 9, will fully suspend immigrant and nonimmigrant visas for 12 locations the current administration said uses deficient vetting processes that jeopardize U.S. national security. 'The Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group, controls Afghanistan,' the order read. 'Afghanistan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.' The order also cited an Afghanistan business and tourist visa overstay rate of 9.7%, and a student, vocational and exchange visitor visa overstay rate of 29.3% as reasons for the ban. Afghan allies who helped the U.S. military during the Afghanistan War, as well as relatives of U.S. service members, are currently stranded in Afghanistan and fear for their lives due to Taliban retaliation, Military Times previously reported. Shawn VanDiver, CEO of the Afghan relocation advocacy group AfghanEvac, slammed the presidential directive in a publicly released statement. DHS ends deportation protections for Afghans 'The Trump administration's latest Executive Order may claim to be about national security — but make no mistake: this is a political stunt disguised as policy,' he said. 'It reinstates a sweeping ban on entry for Afghan nationals and others, while quietly dismantling the very systems that have kept our country safe.' Afghans who hold special immigrant visas are exempt from the ban, the order stated. VanDiver said the exception was 'really good news,' but at the same time, the recently announced termination of Operation Enduring Welcome and the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts office — the program and facilitator of Afghan relocation efforts — muddied that relief. 'The headline, 'Travel ban includes exemption for SIVs,' is the smoke,' VanDiver told Military Times over the phone. 'The fire is, 'Oh, by the way, we dismantled all the things that allow you to process, that allow you to relocate.'' VanDiver said he was concerned the closure of those resettlement mechanisms, which would affect nearly 300,000 Afghan nationals, would make it so that only SIV holders with wealth or connections would find their way to the U.S. 'That's not who we are as America,' he said. Other exemptions include green card holders, foreign nationals with valid nonimmigrant visas and unique classifications listed in the executive order, athletes traveling for the World Cup or other State Department-approved sporting events, immediate family immigrant visas with clear evidence of identity and family relationship, adoptions, U.S. government employees with an SIV and immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran. Afghan refugees who fall within the purview of the United States Refugee Admissions Program were not exempt. Trump signed an executive order suspending USRAP on Jan. 20.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why are these 12 countries on Trump's travel-ban list?
A travel ban issued on Wednesday by US President Donald Trump is set to primarily affect countries in Africa and the Middle East. Twelve countries face full bans, which will come into force on Monday. People from a further seven nations are facing partial restrictions. Trump has depicted it as a matter of national security. He cited a recent attack on members of Colorado's Jewish community, which was allegedly carried out by an Egyptian national. Egypt itself is not on the banned list. Other reasons cited include alleged breaking of US visa rules by people from the countries in question. Here is a closer look at some of the president's reasoning. A range of accusations have been made against Afghanistan in a presidential proclamation signed by Trump. The document highlights that the Taliban, which controls the country, is a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group. The move comes just weeks after the Trump administration appeared to signal that it believed the situation had improved in Afghanistan, when it announced the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans living in the US. Afghanistan is further accused by Trump of lacking a "competent or co-operative" central authority for issuing passports or civil documents. As with other countries on Trump's list, the issue of Afghan nationals overstaying their visas is also cited. Trump's travel ban: Follow live updates BBC Verify Live: Fact-checking Trump's reasoning Everything we know about the ban so far Trump suspends foreign student visas at Harvard Trump's proclamation identifies Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism - a longstanding charge that the Middle Eastern nation has previously rejected. The US has previously censured Tehran, Iran's capital, for its alleged sponsorship of proxy groups operating in the region, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. The new proclamation from Trump says the country is "the source of significant terrorism around the world", does not co-operate with the US on security risks and has "historically failed to accept back its removable nationals". The move comes amid diplomatic wrangling between the two sides over the creation of a new deal over Iran's nuclear weapon-building capabilities. Similar reasons are given in the case of Somalia. The east African country is branded by Trump as a "terrorist safe haven". Like Iran, it is also accused of failing to accept its nationals when removed from the US. However, a further point was made by Trump: "Somalia stands apart from other countries in the degree to which its government lacks command and control of its territory, which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects." Somalia's internationally-based government faces a significant challenge from armed Islamists. It has pledged to "engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised" by Trump. Libya, in north Africa, is cited for its "historical terrorist presence", which is painted as a security threat to Americans. Libya and Somalia are also among the countries on Trump's list which have been criticised for their perceived incompetence at issuing passports. The document highlights that "hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration". Trump points to various perceived risks that this has entailed - including the creation of "criminal networks" and high visa overstay rates. Data from the US Census Bureau suggested more than 852,000 Haitians were living in the US in February 2024, though it does not give a breakdown of when those migrants arrived. Many came after a devastating earthquake in 2010, or after fleeing gang violence that took hold in the Caribbean nation. The US president also points to a lack of central authority in Haiti for matters including law enforcement. These countries are solely accused by Trump of having relatively high visa overstay rates. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defines an "overstay" as a person who remains in the US beyond their authorised period of admission, with no evidence of any extension. The "rate" signals the proportion of people who overstayed. The central African nation Chad is singled out for showing a "a blatant disregard for United States immigration laws". The document highlights an overstay rate of 49.54% by Chadians on business or tourist visas in 2023, citing a DHS report. Congo-Brazzaville and Equatorial Guinea have equivalent rates of 29.63% and 21.98% respectively. But these rates are lower than Laos, which faces a lesser restriction. Myanmar - referred to as Burma in the Trump proclamation - is similarly accused of a high visa overstay rates. As with others on the list, including Iran, the country is further accused of not co-operating with the US to accept deported Burmese nationals. For each of these countries, the first allegation made by Trump is that they have questionable competence at issuing passports and civil documents. Eritrea and Sudan are further accused of having relatively high visa overstay rates. Eritrea is also blamed for failing to make the criminal records of its national available to the US, and of refusing to accept deported nationals. As with Somalia, Yemen is also accused of lacking control over its own land. Trump's proclamation highlights that it is the site of active US military operations. The US has been combating Houthis, who have seized much of the north and west of the country during an ongoing civil war. People from seven other nations face partial restrictions: Venezuela is accused of lacking a "competent or co-operative" central authority for issuing passports and similar documents. Allegations of visa overstays and a refusal to accept deportees are again mentioned. In response, the South American country has described the Trump administration as "supremacists who think they own the world" Cuba is labelled as another "state sponsor of terrorism" - a designation that was made by the US in 2021, and condemned by Havana. An alleged refusal to accept deportees is also mentioned, as are visa overstays Visa overstays are again presented as the key issue in the cases of Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo and Turkmenistan
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why were these 12 countries on Trump's travel-ban list?
A travel ban issued on Wednesday by US President Donald Trump is set to primarily affect countries in Africa and the Middle East. Twelve countries face full bans, which will come into force on Monday. People from a further seven nations are facing partial restrictions. Trump has depicted it as a matter of national security. He cited a recent attack on members of Colorado's Jewish community, which was allegedly carried out by an Egyptian national. Egypt itself is not on the banned list. Other reasons cited include alleged breaking of US visa rules by people from the countries in question. Here is a closer look at some of the president's reasoning. A range of accusations have been made against Afghanistan in a presidential proclamation signed by Trump. The document highlights that the Taliban, which controls the country, is a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group. The move comes just weeks after the Trump administration appeared to signal that it believed the situation had improved in Afghanistan, when it announced the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans living in the US. Afghanistan is further accused by Trump of lacking a "competent or co-operative" central authority for issuing passports or civil documents. As with other countries on Trump's list, the issue of Afghan nationals overstaying their visas is also cited. Trump's travel ban: Follow live updates BBC Verify Live: Fact-checking Trump's reasoning Everything we know about the ban so far Trump suspends foreign student visas at Harvard Trump's proclamation identifies Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism - a longstanding charge that the Middle Eastern nation has previously rejected. The US has previously censured Tehran, Iran's capital, for its alleged sponsorship of proxy groups operating in the region, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. The new proclamation from Trump says the country is "the source of significant terrorism around the world", does not co-operate with the US on security risks and has "historically failed to accept back its removable nationals". The move comes amid diplomatic wrangling between the two sides over the creation of a new deal over Iran's nuclear weapon-building capabilities. Similar reasons are given in the case of Somalia. The east African country is branded by Trump as a "terrorist safe haven". Like Iran, it is also accused of failing to accept its nationals when removed from the US. However, a further point was made by Trump: "Somalia stands apart from other countries in the degree to which its government lacks command and control of its territory, which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects." Somalia's internationally-based government faces a significant challenge from armed Islamists. It has pledged to "engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised" by Trump. Libya, in north Africa, is cited for its "historical terrorist presence", which is painted as a security threat to Americans. Libya and Somalia are also among the countries on Trump's list which have been criticised for their perceived incompetence at issuing passports. The document highlights that "hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration". Trump points to various perceived risks that this has entailed - including the creation of "criminal networks" and high visa overstay rates. Data from the US Census Bureau suggested more than 852,000 Haitians were living in the US in February 2024, though it does not give a breakdown of when those migrants arrived. Many came after a devastating earthquake in 2010, or after fleeing gang violence that took hold in the Caribbean nation. The US president also points to a lack of central authority in Haiti for matters including law enforcement. These countries are solely accused by Trump of having relatively high visa overstay rates. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defines an "overstay" as a person who remains in the US beyond their authorised period of admission, with no evidence of any extension. The "rate" signals the proportion of people who overstayed. The central African nation Chad is singled out for showing a "a blatant disregard for United States immigration laws". The document highlights an overstay rate of 49.54% by Chadians on business or tourist visas in 2023, citing a DHS report. Congo-Brazzaville and Equatorial Guinea have equivalent rates of 29.63% and 21.98% respectively. But these rates are lower than Laos, which faces a lesser restriction. Myanmar - referred to as Chad in the Trump proclamation - is similarly accused of a high visa overstay rates. As with others on the list, including Iran, the country is further accused of not co-operating with the US to accept deported Burmese nationals. For each of these countries, the first allegation made by Trump is that they have questionable competence at issuing passports and civil documents. Eritrea and Sudan are further accused of having relatively high visa overstay rates. Eritrea is also blamed for failing to make the criminal records of its national available to the US, and of refusing to accept deported nationals. As with Somalia, Yemen is also accused of lacking control over its own land. Trump's proclamation highlights that it is the site of active US military operations. The US has been combating Houthis, who have seized much of the north and west of the country during an ongoing civil war. People from seven other nations face partial restrictions: Venezuela is accused of lacking a "competent or co-operative" central authority for issuing passports and similar documents. Allegations of visa overstays and a refusal to accept deportees are again mentioned. In response, the South American country has described the Trump administration as "supremacists who think they own the world" Cuba is labelled as another "state sponsor of terrorism" - a designation that was made by the US in 2021, and condemned by Havana. An alleged refusal to accept deportees is also mentioned, as are visa overstays Visa overstays are again presented as the key issue in the cases of Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo and Turkmenistan
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
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. Live Events 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.
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump travel ban: US bars entry of nationals from 12 countries. Who is on the list?
US President Donald Trump (fie Image) US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation implementing a travel ban from nationals of 12 countries, citing national security risks, according to the White House. "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 posted on X: "President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm." During his initial presidency, Trump introduced restrictions on travellers from seven predominantly Muslim countries, a policy that underwent several revisions before receiving Supreme Court approval in 2018. However, his successor, Democratic President Joe Biden, abolished these restrictions in 2021, stating it was "a stain on our national conscience." Which are the 12 countries? Afghanistan : The Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group, controls Afghanistan. Afghanistan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures. According to the Fiscal Year 2023 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report ('Overstay Report'), Afghanistan had a business/tourist (B1/B2) visa overstay rate of 9.70 percent and a student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 29.30 percent, the White House said in a statement. Burma : According to the US citing Overstay Report, Burma had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 27.07 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 42.17 percent. Additionally, Burma has historically not cooperated with the United States to accept back their removable nationals. Chad : "According to the Overstay Report, Chad had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 49.54 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 55.64 percent. According to the Fiscal Year 2022 Overstay Report, Chad had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 37.12 percent. The high visa overstay rate for 2022 and 2023 is unacceptable and indicates a blatant disregard for US immigration laws," as per the statement released by the White House. Republic of the Congo : According to the Overstay Report, the Republic of the Congo had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 29.63 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.14 percent. Equatorial Guinea : "According to the Overstay Report, Equatorial Guinea had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 21.98 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 70.18 percent," the statement read. Eritrea : The United States questions the competence of the central authority for issuance of passports or civil documents in Eritrea. Criminal records are not available to the United States for Eritrean nationals. Eritrea has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals. According to the Overstay Report, Eritrea had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 20.09 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 55.43 percent. Haiti : According to the Overstay Report, Haiti had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 31.38 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 25.05 percent. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration. This influx harms American communities by creating acute risks of increased overstay rates, establishment of criminal networks, and other national security threats. As is widely known, Haiti lacks a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States. Iran : Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. Iran regularly fails to cooperate with the United States Government in identifying security risks, is the source of significant terrorism around the world, and has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals, as per the statement released by the White House. Libya : There is no competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents in Libya. The historical terrorist presence within Libya's territory amplifies the risks posed by the entry into the United States of its nationals. Somalia : "Somalia lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures. Somalia stands apart from other countries in the degree to which its government lacks command and control of its territory, which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects. A persistent terrorist threat also emanates from Somalia's territory. The United States Government has identified Somalia as a terrorist safe haven. Terrorists use regions of Somalia as safe havens from which they plan, facilitate, and conduct their operations. Somalia also remains a destination for individuals attempting to join terrorist groups that threaten the national security of the United States. The Government of Somalia struggles to provide governance needed to limit terrorists' freedom of movement. Additionally, Somalia has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals," the statement reads. Sudan : Sudan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures, the White House said in a statement. According to the Overstay Report, Sudan had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 26.30 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 28.40 percent. Yemen : Yemen lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures. The government does not have physical control over its own territory. Since January 20, 2025, Yemen has been the site of active US military operations. The Proclamation partially also restrict and limit the entry of nationals from 7 countries who also pose a high level of risk to the United States. Trump's order partially restricts travel from 7 other countries: Which are they? Burundi: According to the White House citing Overstay Report, Burundi had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 15.35 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 17.52 percent. Cuba: Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism. The Government of Cuba does not cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement information with the United States. Cuba has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals. According to the Overstay Report, Cuba had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 7.69 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 18.75 percent. Laos: According to the Overstay Report, Laos had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 34.77 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 6.49 percent. Laos has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals. Sierra Leone: According to the Overstay Report, Sierra Leone had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 15.43 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent. Sierra Leone has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals. Togo: According to the Overstay Report, Togo had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 19.03 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.05 percent. Turkmenistan: According to the White House citing Overstay Report, Turkmenistan had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 15.35 percent and a F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 21.74 percent. Venezuela: As per the White House's statement, Venezuela lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures. Venezuela has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals. According to the Overstay Report, Venezuela had a B1/B2 visa overstay rate of 9.83 percent.
