It Is Safe to Let Haitians (and Everyone Else) Travel
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Trump administration issues total travel ban from 12 nations, partial restrictions from 7 others; is India on the list?
US President Donald Trump issued a fresh proclamation restricting entry into the United States for travellers from specific countries. There is a total travel ban on entry of nationals from 12 countries and partial restrictions for seven others. As per the proclamation, there are no travel restrictions for Indians who intend to visit the U.S. Trump said the new travel ban was signed in response to the attack in Boulder, Colorado, which authorities attributed to a man allegedly residing in the country illegally.
Which countries are on the US travel ban list? Is India in the list? The proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Meanwhile, the entry of people from seven other countries is partially restricted: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
As per the proclamation, there are no travel restrictions for Indians who intend to visit the United States.
Also Read | Trump’s new travel ban could bar citizens from Muslim countries from entering US
What Trump said? Trump, in a video message, explained that the new travel ban was signed in response to the attack in Boulder, Colorado, which authorities attributed to a man allegedly residing in the country illegally.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted. We don’t want them,” Trump said.
“We will not let what happened in Europe happen in America,” Trump said.
“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen. That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.”
Trump further noted that the travel ban is subject to revision, and new countries could be added to the list as threats emerge from around the world.
Meanwhile, Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, said on X, “President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm.”
Why has Trump banned travel from these 12 countries?
US President Donald Trump has issued a travel ban on 12 countries. The ban is set to come into force on Monday. People from a further seven nations are facing partial restrictions. Trump has depicted it as a matter of national security. Other reasons cited include alleged breaking of US visa rules by people from the countries in question. Here is a closer look at some of the president’s reasoning for the ban.Why are these 12 countries on Trump’s travel-ban list?774.5 June 2025 Share Save James FitzGerald BBC News Share SaveJames.FitzGerald@mailonline.co.uk. Back to the page you came from. Click here to read the full transcript of James Fitzgerald’s interview with Donald Trump on CNN’s “This Morning” on Wednesday, June 5, 2025 at 9am ET (11am GMT) and 1pm ET (4pm ET) on Thursday, June 6, 2025. Back To the page where you camefrom. Click HERE to read James Fitzgerald’s full interview with President Trump on “This morning” on July 5, 1925 at 10am ET.
5 June 2025 Share Save James FitzGerald BBC News Share Save
Watch: President Trump announces travel ban from “high-risk regions”
A travel ban issued on Wednesday by US President Donald Trump is set to primarily affect countries in Africa and the Middle East. Twelve countries face full bans, which will come into force on Monday. People from a further seven nations are facing partial restrictions. Trump has depicted it as a matter of national security. He cited a recent attack on members of Colorado’s Jewish community, which was allegedly carried out by an Egyptian national. Egypt itself is not on the banned list. Other reasons cited include alleged breaking of US visa rules by people from the countries in question. Here is a closer look at some of the president’s reasoning.
Afghanistan
A range of accusations have been made against Afghanistan in a presidential proclamation signed by Trump. The document highlights that the Taliban, which controls the country, is a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group. The move comes just weeks after the Trump administration appeared to signal that it believed the situation had improved in Afghanistan, when it announced the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans living in the US. Afghanistan is further accused by Trump of lacking a “competent or co-operative” central authority for issuing passports or civil documents. As with other countries on Trump’s list, the issue of Afghan nationals overstaying their visas is also cited.
Iran
Trump’s proclamation identifies Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism – a longstanding charge that the Middle Eastern nation has previously rejected. The US has previously censured Tehran, Iran’s capital, for its alleged sponsorship of proxy groups operating in the region, such as Hamas and Hezbollah. The new proclamation from Trump says the country is “the source of significant terrorism around the world”, does not co-operate with the US on security risks and has “historically failed to accept back its removable nationals”. The move comes amid diplomatic wrangling between the two sides over the creation of a new deal over Iran’s nuclear weapon-building capabilities.
Somalia and Libya
Similar reasons are given in the case of Somalia. The east African country is branded by Trump as a “terrorist safe haven”. Like Iran, it is also accused of failing to accept its nationals when removed from the US. However, a further point was made by Trump: “Somalia stands apart from other countries in the degree to which its government lacks command and control of its territory, which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects.” Somalia’s internationally-based government faces a significant challenge from armed Islamists. It has pledged to “engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised” by Trump. Libya, in north Africa, is cited for its “historical terrorist presence”, which is painted as a security threat to Americans. Libya and Somalia are also among the countries on Trump’s list which have been criticised for their perceived incompetence at issuing passports.
Haiti
The document highlights that “hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration”. Trump points to various perceived risks that this has entailed – including the creation of “criminal networks” and high visa overstay rates. Data from the US Census Bureau suggested more than 852,000 Haitians were living in the US in February 2024, though it does not give a breakdown of when those migrants arrived. Many came after a devastating earthquake in 2010, or after fleeing gang violence that took hold in the Caribbean nation. The US president also points to a lack of central authority in Haiti for matters including law enforcement.
Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea
These countries are solely accused by Trump of having relatively high visa overstay rates. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defines an “overstay” as a person who remains in the US beyond their authorised period of admission, with no evidence of any extension. The “rate” signals the proportion of people who overstayed. The central African nation Chad is singled out for showing a “a blatant disregard for United States immigration laws”. The document highlights an overstay rate of 49.54% by Chadians on business or tourist visas in 2023, citing a DHS report. Congo-Brazzaville and Equatorial Guinea have equivalent rates of 29.63% and 21.98% respectively. But these rates are lower than Laos, which faces a lesser restriction.
Myanmar
Myanmar – referred to as Burma in the Trump proclamation – is similarly accused of a high visa overstay rates. As with others on the list, including Iran, the country is further accused of not co-operating with the US to accept deported Burmese nationals.
Eritrea, Sudan and Yemen
For each of these countries, the first allegation made by Trump is that they have questionable competence at issuing passports and civil documents. Eritrea and Sudan are further accused of having relatively high visa overstay rates. Eritrea is also blamed for failing to make the criminal records of its national available to the US, and of refusing to accept deported nationals. As with Somalia, Yemen is also accused of lacking control over its own land. Trump’s proclamation highlights that it is the site of active US military operations. The US has been combating Houthis, who have seized much of the north and west of the country during an ongoing civil war.
Partial restrictions
President Trump bans travel from 12 nations, partially restricts entry from seven others
Trump cites “national security risks” posed by citizens of the targeted nations. He also partially restricted the entry of foreign nationals from seven other nations. The restrictions are scheduled to go into effect on June 9. The ban resembles similar actions Trump took during his first term to bar the entry from several predominantly Muslim countries, he said. The move comes after the Trump administration has worked aggressively to deport immigrants who are in the United States unlawfully, a source says.. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs said the antisemitic attack in Boulder shouldn’t be used to justify a ban on travel from primarily Muslim-majority countries. The Council on American-Islamic Relations Executive Director Nihad Awad said the government already vets visa applicants extensively. The new order risks separating families, depriving students of educational opportunities, and blocking patients from unique medical treatment, he says. The U.S. International Refugee Assistance Project, a group that sued Trump in 2017, slammed the ban as arbitrary for making exceptions for sporting events such as the Olympics and the World Cup.
Trump cited “national security risks” posed by citizens of the targeted nations, which include several Middle Eastern and African countries, in a June 4 proclamation he signed imposing the ban. He also partially restricted the entry of foreign nationals from seven other nations.
The restrictions are scheduled to go into effect on June 9.
The ban prohibits entry into the United States of foreign nationals from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Trump issued partial travel suspensions for foreign nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
In videotaped remarks from the Oval Office, Trump pointed to last weekend’s fiery assault on pro-Jewish demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, carried out by suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a native of Egypt who came to the United States on a tourist visa in late 2022 and stayed after the visa expired.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstayed their visas,” Trump said. “We don’t want them.”
Egypt is not among the countries facing new restrictions despite Trump invoking the attack, which the White House has blamed on the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
Trump’s travel ban: A timeline look throughout his first presidency
Who faces a travel ban?
The move comes after the Trump administration has worked aggressively to deport immigrants who are in the United States unlawfully, halted the government’s refugee resettlement program, and on May 28 announced plans to “aggressively” revoke visas of Chinese students.
The ban resembles similar actions Trump took during his first term to bar the entry of foreign nationals from several predominantly Muslim countries.
The restrictions do not apply to visas that have already been granted, lawful permanent residents, certain athletes, immediate family members of current visa holders, and other classes of individuals for whom the administration granted exceptions.
“In the 21st century, we’ve seen one terror attack after another carried out by foreign visa overstayers from dangerous places. They should not be in our country,” Trump said. “We will not let what happened in Europe happen to America.”
Council on American-Islamic Relations Executive Director Nihad Awad said the government already vets visa applicants extensively. The new order risks separating families, depriving students of educational opportunities and blocking patients from unique medical treatment, he said.
“President Trump’s new travel ban targeting mostly Muslim and African nations and raising the specter of more vague free speech restrictions is overbroad, unnecessary and ideologically motivated,” Awad said. “Automatically banning students, workers, tourists, and other citizens of these targeted nations from coming to the United States will not make our nation safer.”
Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, said in a post on social media that the antisemitic attack in Boulder shouldn’t be used to justify a ban on travel from primarily Muslim-majority countries.
“We’ll keep saying it: the Jewish community’s legitimate fears and concerns should not (be) exploited to undermine core democratic norms, or otherwise advance discriminatory & unconstitutional policies,” Spitalnick said. “Doing so only makes Jews – and all communities – less safe.”
Rep. Judy Chu, a California Democrat who introduced legislation in February that sought to prevent the Trump administration from banning travel to the United States by people of any religious group, lashed out at Trump on X.
“Just now, Trump has re-issued his disgusting, bigoted, and Islamophobic travel ban. This goes against our core American values while doing nothing to make us safer. We can do better, we must do better,” she said.
What travelers need to know: Trump issues new travel ban affecting nearly 20 countries
Trump revisits travel bans
Trump’s first-term travel bans were overturned repeatedly in the courts for apparent religious or racial motivations before being upheld by the Supreme Court.
Within hours of the new ban, the International Refugee Assistance Project, a group that sued Trump in 2017, slammed the ban as arbitrary for making exceptions for athletes traveling to the United States for sporting events such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, “while closing the door to ordinary people who’ve gone through extensive legal processes to enter the United States.”
“It is yet another shameful attempt by the Trump administration to sow division, fear, and chaos,” Stephanie Gee, senior director of U.S. Legal Services, said in a statement.
Trump’s latest ban follows through on a day-one executive order directing his administration 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 entry or admission of nationals from those countries.”
Trump said he evaluated recommendations from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi based on foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism goals and largely accepted their recommendations.
Factors included whether a county “has a significant terrorist presence within its territory” or a high rate of people overstaying their visas, Trump’s order said. The president said the administration also considered a country’s “cooperation with accepting back its removable nationals.”
At one point, the administration looked at slapping as many as 43 countries with restrictions. Egypt was not on either of the draft lists that circulated in March.
The president said in the order that Rubio and Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller provided him a list on April 9 of countries to consider.
The White House did not immediately explain why it took Trump nearly two months after he received the report to take action. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.
“Very simply,” Trump said, “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.”
Contributing: Bart Jansen
Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
Tracking Trump and Latin America: Migration—Ban on Travel from Cuba, Haiti, and Venezuela
U.S. President Donald Trump made his focus on immigration clear on the first day of his second term. Just over half of the U.S foreign-born population comes from the region, according to 2023 census data. Latin Americans make up around 77 percent of an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States. Trump is also attempting to end birthright citizenship by reinterpreting the 14th Amendment.
With the declaration of a national emergency at the U.S. southern border and the classification of migration as “an invasion,” U.S. President Donald Trump made his focus on immigration clear on the first day of his second term, taking action on an issue that was a focal point in his 2024 presidential campaign. In that year, just about 15 percent of U.S. voters named migration as the most important issue facing their country, according to YouGov, second only to inflation.
No doubt, Trump’s migration policy over the next four years will touch upon Latin America and Latin Americans. Just over half of the U.S. foreign-born population comes from the region, according to 2023 census data—almost 24.5 million people. According to statistics from Pew Research Center, Latin Americans also make up around 77 percent of an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States.
During his first term (2017–2021), Trump passed policies that pressured Latin American governments to take more responsibility to deter migration and accept deportees. This term, Trump is resurrecting—or intensifying—several of those policies. And this time, Trump is also attempting to end birthright citizenship by reinterpreting the 14th Amendment and threatening a wider set of countries with punitive measures if they don’t comply with his requests around deportation.
AS/COA Online is monitoring Trump’s government approach to migration. Learn about his most recent initiatives, as well as his campaign promises and how the policies of his second presidency are different from the actions he took in his first term.
Trump administration weighs travel ban on dozens of countries, memo says
The list is divided into three separate groups. The first group of 10 countries would be set for a full visa suspension. In the second group, five countries — Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar and South Sudan — would face partial suspensions. The third group would be considered for a partial suspension of U.S. visa issuance if their governments “do not make efforts to address deficiencies within 60 days” The move harkens back to President Donald Trump’s first term ban on travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations.
The memo lists a total of 41 countries divided into three separate groups. The first group of 10 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba and North Korea among others, would be set for a full visa suspension.
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In the second group, five countries — Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar and South Sudan — would face partial suspensions that would impact tourist and student visas as well as other immigrant visas, with some exceptions.
In the third group, a total of 26 countries that includes Belarus, Pakistan and Turkmenistan among others would be considered for a partial suspension of U.S. visa issuance if their governments “do not make efforts to address deficiencies within 60 days”, the memo said.
A U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity cautioned there could be changes on the list and that it was yet to be approved by the administration, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The New York Times first reported on the list of countries.
The move harkens back to President Donald Trump’s first term ban on travelers from seven majority-Muslim nations, a policy that went through several iterations before it was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Trump issued an executive order on January 20 requiring intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking admission to the U.S. to detect national security threats.
That order directed several cabinet members to submit by March 21 a list of countries from which travel should be partly or fully suspended because their “vetting and screening information is so deficient.”
Trump’s directive is part of an immigration crackdown that he launched at the start of his second term.
He previewed his plan in an October 2023 speech, pledging to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and “anywhere else that threatens our security.”
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Costas Pitas Editing by Sam Holmes
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