Travel Restrictions Imposed: Trump Signs Order to Bar Citizens from 12 Countries, Limit Entry from 7 Others
On a stormy Wednesday in June 2025, US President Donald Trump signed a declaration, slamming the brakes on travel from a dozen nations and imposing limitations on an additional seven. The reason? Lackluster security measures and inadequate vetting procedures that could potentially put US safety at risk.
The unlucky dozen—Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—face a complete travel ban. Others, including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, will face some hurdles, since partial restrictions apply to them.
Trump's decree goes into effect at midnight on the 9th, but there are exceptions for those already residing in the US, permanent residents, and individuals who serve national interests. The Secretary of State can also grant individual exemptions.
"We're not going to let anyone set foot on American soil who's got ill intentions. Period. And let me tell you, nothing's standing in our way of making America safe," Trump asserted in a White House video. He also pointed to a violent attack on Jewish protestors in Colorado, allegedly the work of Egyptian national Mohamed Sabry Soliman. Egypt, interestingly, isn't on the travel ban list, raising questions about the criteria used.
The travel ban is part of a series of rigorous immigration policies coming from the Trump administration. Think
- Clamping down on asylum at the southern border
- Revoking temporary protected status for immigrants from countries in turmoil
- Limiting foreign student visas for prestigious universities, like Harvard
Trump's travel restrictions echo his earlier travel ban, which targeted predominantly Muslim countries. After several revisions, the policy finally received the Supreme Court's blessing in 2018. Following the departure of Trump and the arrival of Biden, the ban for Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen was revoked.
Now, the travel restrictions could pose significant challenges for Afghans, who have aided the US during its 20-year presence in their country. Many are already grappling with uncertainty due to earlier Trump-era policies, such as halts in the refugee program and the suspension of funds for flights carrying Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients.
The criteria for determining the countries included in the travel ban focus primarily on national security concerns, such as inadequate screening and vetting procedures, high visa overstay rates, poor document reliability, and limited cooperation on deportation matters.
- The new travel restrictions, part of rigorous immigration policies introduced by the Trump administration, have impacted the tourism sector, as travels to and from the affected countries face certain limitations.
- The recent travel ban has placed a significant burden on eco-tourism companies that rely on tourists from the affected countries for their business, as potential clients now face strict travel regulations.
- In the realm of general news, the travel ban has also sparked debates about the role of politics in the tourism industry, with critics arguing that such measures could hinder multicultural interactions and exchange.
- Meanwhile, the travel ban has raised concerns in the general public regarding the future of international traveling, particularly as overseas flights become more restricted, potentially impacting the broader tourism industry.
