Trump Imposes Travel Ban on 12 Nations, Cites Security Threats

Photo: AFP

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a new travel ban that mainly targets countries in Africa and the Middle East. The ban will fully apply to twelve countries and will begin on Monday, while seven other nations will face partial visa restrictions. Trump says this action is necessary for national security. He referred to a recent attack on a Jewish community in Colorado, which was reportedly carried out by an Egyptian national—though Egypt is not included in the list.

The travel ban is based on several concerns. These include the inability of some countries to properly issue passports or civil documents, failure to cooperate with U.S. authorities on security matters, and high rates of people overstaying their U.S. visas. Trump also pointed to terrorism risks in some regions. Here's a breakdown of the reasoning behind the inclusion of specific countries.

Afghanistan was banned due to the Taliban's control, which the U.S. considers a global terrorist threat. Trump also claims Afghanistan lacks a functional central government to issue proper documentation. The country is further accused of having many nationals who overstay their U.S. visas.

Iran is labeled as a state sponsor of terrorism. According to Trump’s proclamation, Iran supports groups like Hezbollah and Hamas and does not cooperate with U.S. security efforts. Additionally, Iran has reportedly refused to take back its nationals who are supposed to be deported.

In Somalia and Libya, the main issues are the presence of terrorist groups and weak governance. Somalia is described as a terrorist safe haven, and its government is said to lack control over large parts of the country. Libya, meanwhile, is criticized for a history of terrorist activity and weak document management. Both countries have also been unwilling to accept deported citizens.

Haiti is on the list for different reasons. Trump claims that large numbers of illegal Haitian immigrants entered the U.S. under President Biden, which has led to an increase in criminal networks. He also points to high visa overstay rates and a lack of stable government institutions in Haiti, including poor law enforcement systems.

Three Central African countries—Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, and Equatorial Guinea—are included due to high visa overstay rates. For example, almost 50% of Chadians who visited the U.S. on tourist or business visas in 2023 reportedly overstayed. Although the overstay rates for Congo-Brazzaville and Equatorial Guinea are lower, they are still considered problematic by U.S. authorities.

Myanmar was mistakenly referred to as Chad in the proclamation, but it faces similar accusations of high visa overstays and refusal to cooperate with deportation efforts. Like Iran, it is also criticized for not helping the U.S. with immigration enforcement.

Eritrea, Sudan, and Yemen are listed due to their weak passport systems and high visa overstay rates. Eritrea is further blamed for not sharing the criminal records of its citizens with the U.S. and for refusing to accept deportees. Yemen, which is in the middle of a civil war, is considered dangerous due to ongoing armed conflict and the presence of militant groups like the Houthis.

In addition to these full bans, seven countries face partial travel restrictions. These include Venezuela, which is said to lack a reliable central authority for issuing documents, and Cuba, which the U.S. still classifies as a state sponsor of terrorism. Both are also accused of not taking back deported nationals. The remaining countries—Burundi, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan—were added mainly due to consistently high visa overstay rates.

Trump’s travel ban has already sparked debate and diplomatic pushback from some of the affected nations. Still, the former president defends it as a necessary step to keep America safe and enforce immigration laws.