Citing the recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, President Trump announced a new travel ban covering 12 countries. Here’s a bit of the announcement from the White House website.
In Executive Order 14161 of January 20, 2025 (Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats), I stated that it is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes…
I directed the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, to identify countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full or partial suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries pursuant to section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1182(f). After completing that process, the Secretary of State determined that a number of countries remain deficient with regards to screening and vetting. Many of these countries have also taken advantage of the United States in their exploitation of our visa system and their historic failure to accept back their removable nationals…
As President, I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people. I remain committed to engaging with those countries willing to cooperate to improve information-sharing and identity-management procedures, and to address both terrorism-related and public-safety risks. Nationals of some countries also pose significant risks of overstaying their visas in the United States, which increases burdens on immigration and law enforcement components of the United States, and often exacerbates other risks related to national security and public safety.
From there, the president announces a total ban on travel from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Along with each country is a brief description of why travel from that country is being halted. Here’s a sample:
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.
Burma
- According to the 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…
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.
In addition to the 12 countries with a total ban on travel, the White House also announced an additional 7 countries with a partial suspension.
An additional seven nations received partial travel restrictions, in which entrance into the country under several visa programs were suspended but an outright ban was not implemented: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Again, here’s a sample of the justifications for the partial suspensions.
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…
Venezuela
- 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.
Finally, President Trump released a short video statement explaining his decision. He opened by referring to the recent terror attack in Boulder which was carried out by an Egyptian man who had overstayed his visa. “We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm and nothing will stop us from keeping America safe,” he said.
BREAKING: President Trump releases video statement following his decision to ban entry into the United States from 12 countries.
Seven other countries have partial restrictions.
The 12 countries with full travel restrictions are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the… pic.twitter.com/LywxQ7XPzi
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 5, 2025
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