Bhubaneswar, June 5, 2025 : The White House has announced a new travel ban signed by President Donald Trump. The order bars entry into the United States from 12 countries flagged for weak visa screening and links to terrorism.

Starting June 9, 2025, nationals from the following countries will be banned:

• Afghanistan

• Burma

• Chad

• Republic of the Congo

• Equatorial Guinea

• Eritrea

• Haiti

• Iran

• Libya

• Somalia

• Sudan

• Yemen

Seven More Face Partial Visa Restrictions

Seven additional countries—Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—will face partial restrictions. Business, tourist, student, and exchange visas from these nations will be suspended.

This policy is part of Executive Order 14161, issued on January 20, 2025. A 60-day joint review by the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Justice, and National Intelligence led to the blacklist.

Who’s Exempt?

The ban does not affect:

• U.S. permanent residents

• Special visa holders from Afghanistan

• Diplomats

• Athletes

• Dual nationals using passports from non-banned countries

The Trigger: Boulder Attack

The move follows a deadly attack in Boulder, Colorado, by a visa overstayer. Trump’s team used this case to justify tougher immigration controls.

Trump said in a statement, “We will not allow people from nations we cannot safely vet to enter the U.S.”

According to official data, Chad had a 49.54% visa overstay rate in 2023. Somalia, meanwhile, was noted for its inability to curb terrorist activities.

Criticism and Legal Debate

Critics say the ban unfairly targets African and Muslim-majority nations. Alex Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute argued that terrorism links are minimal. Only one Sudanese citizen was tied to a terror attack on U.S. soil since 1975.

He estimates the chance of an American being killed by a terrorist from these countries is 1 in 13.9 billion per year.

Some on social media defend the move. Others point out that the Boulder suspect was Egyptian, and Egypt is not on the list.

Policy Background

This executive order revives Trump’s earlier travel ban, upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018, which also targeted Muslim-majority nations. President Biden had reversed the policy in 2021, calling it discriminatory.

The return of this ban may face both domestic lawsuits and international backlash, particularly from African and Asian nations.

What Lies Ahead

Supporters argue the policy protects U.S. borders. Opponents fear it promotes bias and damages global relations.

If affected countries improve their vetting processes, the ban could be lifted. But for now, the order marks a new phase in America’s evolving immigration stance.

The post Trump Travel Ban Targets 12 Nations Over Security Concerns appeared first on Odisha Connect.