Trump Announces Travel Ban on 12 Countries, Restrictions on 7 Others Over Security Concerns
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday evening a sweeping travel ban targeting a dozen countries and imposing restrictions on seven others, citing national security concerns. The directive, issued through a presidential proclamation and a video message, comes in response to what Trump described as “extreme dangers” posed by inadequately vetted foreign nationals.
The announcement followed a recent attack during a march in Boulder, Colorado, which Trump said highlighted the urgent need for tighter immigration controls. “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” Trump said. He emphasized that the restrictions would be adjusted depending on threat levels and improvements in foreign governments’ cooperation with US security protocols.
According to a White House statement, the ban targets individuals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Partial restrictions will also apply to nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The decision follows a report from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials, who cited poor screening systems, high visa overstay rates, and inadequate intelligence-sharing as primary factors. The new measures are scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday.
