Trump Travel Ban Now In Effect, Blocking Entry from 12 Countries

A new directive from President Donald Trump went into force early Monday, instituting one of the most far-reaching travel restrictions in recent memory. Citizens from 12 nations are now barred from entering the United States, in what many see as a reintroduction of a highly controversial policy from Trump’s first term.

The administration framed the policy as a necessary national security measure, referencing a recent violent incident in Colorado as a key factor in the decision. The attack involved an assailant who had overstayed his visa—an event the White House cited to justify tighter controls on immigration and foreign entry.

Trump explained the rationale for the new order last week, pointing to the Colorado assault on Jewish demonstrators showing support for hostages held in Gaza. “That attack,” he said, “underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted” or who overstay their visas.

The president’s executive action halts travel from Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Myanmar, Haiti, Eritrea, Congo-Brazzaville, Chad, and Equatorial Guinea.

Additional restrictions were issued for citizens of several more nations, including Burundi, Turkmenistan, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Venezuela. Nationals from these countries may still be eligible for certain work visas, but access to the U.S. will be heavily limited.

Trump’s order does make exceptions for diplomats and for international athletes participating in events like the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The administration emphasized that the list could be expanded. “As threats emerge around the world,” Trump warned, new countries may be added to the ban.

The move drew strong international criticism. United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk issued a warning, stating that “the broad and sweeping nature of the new travel ban raises concerns from the perspective of international law.”

Domestic political backlash was swift. Lawmakers from the Democratic Party condemned the policy, calling it discriminatory and legally questionable. “I know the pain that Trump’s cruel and xenophobic travel bans inflict because my family has felt it firsthand,” said Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, who is of Iranian descent. “We will fight this ban with everything we have.”

The administration’s justification for the new restrictions was tied to the case of Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national identified as the attacker in the Colorado case. According to U.S. officials, Soliman entered the country on a tourist visa but failed to leave when it expired. He later sought asylum in 2022. During the incident, Soliman allegedly used homemade incendiary devices, including a flamethrower and Molotov cocktails, injuring 15 people—one critically. The FBI classified the attack as an act of terrorism.

Notably, Egypt was not included in the list of banned countries.

Trump’s order claims that governments like those of Afghanistan, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen are unable to adequately issue or verify passports due to weak or nonexistent central authorities. Iran was named in the order as a “state sponsor of terrorism.”

For the remaining countries listed, the justification focused on what the administration described as a statistically high risk of visa overstays.

The restrictions are expected to affect refugee admissions, immigration patterns, and U.S. foreign relations in significant ways, even as debate intensifies over the legality and morality of the sweeping measure.

{Matzav.com}