In a sweeping move that echoes earlier efforts to clamp down on immigration, the Trump administration announced new travel restrictions on June 4, affecting 19 countries, most of them in Africa and the Middle East. The measure, set to take effect on June 9, bars or limits entry to the United States for nationals of 12 countries and imposes partial restrictions on seven others.
The countries facing a full or near-complete ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Most of these, according to a presidential proclamation, either refused to cooperate with the repatriation of their citizens or recorded visa overstay rates the administration deemed unacceptably high.
The order cites inadequate security screening and identity verification systems as additional grounds for exclusion, specifically in countries such as Sudan, Yemen and Somalia. Travellers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will face varying levels of restrictions, including limitations on specific visa categories.
The White House defended the move as a necessary step to protect national security, particularly in the aftermath of a violent incident in Boulder, Colorado. On June 1, an Egyptian man launched a deadly attack on a gathering held in solidarity with hostages in Gaza. In response, President Trump accelerated the decision to formalise the new restrictions.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder has underscored the extreme dangers posed by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted,” Trump said in a video statement. “We don’t want them.”
Critics have drawn comparisons with Trump’s controversial travel ban introduced in his first term, which barred entry from several Muslim-majority nations and sparked widespread legal challenges. That policy, initially blocked by lower courts, was eventually upheld by the Supreme Court in a narrow 5–4 ruling in 2018. The new order is expected to face similar legal resistance.
Democratic lawmakers condemned the expanded ban as discriminatory and counterproductive. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal described it as an extension of Trump’s earlier 'Muslim ban,' arguing that it punished ordinary people for the policies of their governments. "Banning a whole group of people because you disagree with the structure or function of their government lays blame in the wrong place," she said. Congressman Don Beyer called the proclamation a betrayal of American ideals, stating that it “divides us and weakens our global leadership.”
Apart from the travel restrictions, Trump also signed an order tightening visa scrutiny for foreign students, with Harvard University singled out for allegedly hosting individuals linked to the Chinese Communist Party. The administration had recently attempted to revoke Harvard’s certification to admit foreign students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme, though a federal judge blocked the move.
The White House insisted that the list of countries may be revised depending on future developments. "The list is subject to revision based on whether material improvements are made," said Trump. "And likewise new countries can be added as threats emerge around the world, but we will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm and nothing will stop us from keeping America safe."
