President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday reinstating a wide-reaching travel ban targeting citizens from 12 countries, citing national security threats and failures in identity verification and visa compliance.
The new directive, effective June 9, bars nationals from countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Haiti, among others, from entering the U.S. It also places partial restrictions on travelers from seven additional countries, such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Turkmenistan.
“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video statement, adding that the list may be expanded.
The move comes as part of Trump’s second-term immigration crackdown, which has included aggressive deportations and tighter restrictions on student visas. It mirrors the controversial 2017 travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority nations, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018 and repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021.
The African Union criticized the new ban, warning it could undermine educational exchanges, commercial ties, and diplomatic relations. In a statement, the AU urged Washington to pursue “constructive dialogue” with affected nations.
The administration cited Sunday’s firebomb attack on a pro-Israel rally in Colorado—allegedly committed by an Egyptian national with an expired visa—as justification. However, Egypt is not among the countries listed in the ban.
Trump argued the banned countries fail to share critical security information, have poor record-keeping, or high rates of visa overstays. “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter,” he said.
Reactions were swift. Somalia’s government said it is open to dialogue with the U.S. to resolve security concerns, while Venezuela’s Interior Minister called the move “fascist” and warned citizens against traveling to the U.S.
The order threatens to disrupt U.S.-funded educational and exchange programs. A Myanmar teacher scheduled to join a digital education fellowship said she received no update after the ban. “It’s not easy to be accepted. We worked so hard,” she told Reuters.
The proclamation follows a January 20 executive order by Trump demanding enhanced vetting for all foreign nationals and is part of a broader campaign promise to tighten U.S. borders and restrict migration from what Trump calls “high-risk” countries.
CBS News first reported the new travel restrictions. Reuters previously revealed in March that such a policy was under consideration.