We don’t want them: Trump bans citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the USA.
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US President Donald Trump has signed a travel ban affecting nationals from seven African nations – Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. He referenced purported terrorism threats and elevated visa overstay rates as justification for his decision, which is set to take effect on June 9.
The ban was revealed in an executive order yesterday, forming part of a wider immigration policy overhaul that targets 12 nations; these include the seven African countries along with Afghanistan, Myanmar, Haiti, Iran, and Yemen.
Additionally, Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo are included in a group of seven other nations facing partial restrictions under this directive, which limits entry through certain visa categories. The remaining countries affected are Cuba, Laos, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
According to Trump, Libya and Somalia serve as recruitment grounds for terrorist organizations that threaten US national security. Other nations are subject to limitations because of either “unacceptable” rates of visa overstays or the lack of a “competent” authority responsible for passport issuance and adequate security vetting.
“The restrictions… imposed by this proclamation are necessary to garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” President Trump said.
“I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” US President added, noting that at the same time he remains committed to engaging with countries willing to cooperate and resolve the identified concerns.
Upon the announcement of newly imposed travel ban Dahir Hassan Abdi, the Somali Ambassador to the US, stated that Mogadishu “appreciates its enduring relationship” with Washington and is “prepared to participate in discussions to tackle the issues raised.”
This is not the first time Trump is using ban to curb travel form the certain countries. During his first term, he enacted entry restrictions on various Muslim-majority and African nations in 2017 and 2020. These actions faced significant legal and diplomatic backlash but were ultimately affirmed by the US Supreme Court in 2018. Shortly after assuming office in 2021, former President Joe Biden rescinded these bans, labeling them as discriminatory.
Trump frequently accused the Biden administration of implementing “open door policies” that, according to him, have permitted millions of undocumented immigrants to unlawfully remain in the US.
In a video message released by the White House, Trump stated that a recent assault on a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, had “highlighted the extreme threats” posed to the US “by the entry of foreign nationals who have not been adequately vetted.”
