U.S. President Donald Trump resurrected a key tenet of his first term on Wednesday, announcing a sweeping travel ban that targets 12 countries. The new policy, which goes into effect on Monday, will bar citizens from Afghanistan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the United States. Heightened restrictions will be placed on people from an additional seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Exceptions will be made for lawful permanent residents; existing visa holders; individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests; and those eligible for certain visa categories, such as Afghans on special immigrant visas.
“The list is subject to revision based on whether material improvements are made, and likewise, new countries can be added as threats emerge around the world,” Trump said. His underlying message, though, was firm: “We don’t want them.”
The U.S. president tied the move to last Sunday’s terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, where authorities say an Egyptian national who overstayed his tourist visa threw an incendiary device at individuals raising awareness for the Israeli hostage crisis in Gaza. However, Egypt is not included in the travel ban.
Foreign governments and humanitarian activists have condemned the White House’s latest actions. “President Trump’s new travel ban is discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel,” Amnesty International posted on X on Thursday. “By targeting people based on their nationality, this ban only spreads disinformation and hate.”
Read more in today’s World Brief: Trump’s Travel Ban Returns.
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