Updated June 5, 2025 at 1:31 PM EDT
A new travel policy is set to disrupt international travel as President Trump enacts restrictions on travelers from 12 nations, with partial restrictions on seven additional countries. This policy, effective from Monday, June 9, has been described by Trump as crucial to ensuring national security.
In a move reminiscent of his first-term policies, Trump emphasized his commitment to reinstating the travel ban initially targeting Muslim-majority countries, stating, “We want to get them out. We want to get them out now. We don’t want to have other bad people coming into our country,” during a session with reporters in the Oval Office.
According to the White House, the countries targeted by the ban have inadequate screening and vetting processes.
Countries Impacted by the Travel Ban
The full travel restrictions apply to travelers from Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Meanwhile, partial restrictions will impact individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Trump announced the signing of this measure through a video statement posted on social media. He highlighted a firebombing incident in Boulder, Colorado, as an indicator of the necessity for such a ban. Notably, the individual charged in the attack hails from Egypt, a nation not included in the travel restrictions. Addressing this, Trump remarked on the U.S.’s strong bilateral relations with Egypt, stating that, “Egypt has been a country that we deal with very closely. They have things under control. The countries that we have [on the travel ban list] don’t have things under control.”
Shawn VanDiver, representing #AfghanEvac, a nonprofit organization aiding Afghan resettlement in the U.S., expressed concerns about the new restrictions. He pointed out that while special immigrant visas for Afghans employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government are exempt, “tens of thousands of Afghans with pending cases—especially family members—will now be blocked from reaching safety, regardless of their loyalty to the United States or prior vetting.” More details can be found in the NPR report.
Background on Trump’s Travel Ban
This recent policy stems from an executive order signed by Trump on his return to the White House. The directive tasked various agencies, including the U.S. State Department, with pinpointing countries where vetting and screening information is insufficient to justify a travel suspension.
The Trump administration is analyzing the number of people from these nations admitted during Biden’s presidency to potentially revoke their visas retroactively. Trump’s initial travel ban, described by him as “unbelievably successful” against terrorism, was lifted by President Joe Biden on his inauguration day in 2021.
The journey to Trump’s original travel ban is intricate. In December 2015, during his presidential campaign, Trump advocated for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.” Shortly after taking office in January 2017, Trump enacted an executive order restricting travel from seven predominantly Muslim nations, including Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. This ban, initially set for 90 days, faced immediate backlash with protests and legal challenges, despite no direct mention of “Muslim” in the order. Subsequent revisions allowed exceptions for green card holders and existing visa holders, but legal obstacles persisted.
Ultimately, in 2018, the Supreme Court upheld the revised travel ban in a narrow 5-4 decision. This iteration expanded restrictions beyond Muslim-majority countries to include North Korea and certain Venezuelan officials. Further details on the court’s decision can be found here.
Copyright 2025 NPR
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