President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban officially took effect early Monday, barring entry to the United States for citizens from twelve countries. This renewed restriction echoes similar policies from his first term and signals a continued hardline stance on immigration.
The ban is anticipated to disrupt refugee resettlement and tighten immigration enforcement as the administration escalates its efforts against illegal border crossings. Many of the affected nations, including Iran and Afghanistan, have adversarial relations with the U.S., while others like Haiti and Libya face ongoing crises.
Trump linked the ban to a recent “terrorist attack” in Colorado, where a man who had overstayed his visa assaulted a group protesting in support of Gaza hostages. “That attack,” Trump said, “underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted.”
The White House announced that nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen are now barred from U.S. entry. A partial ban also restricts travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, though some temporary work visas remain available.
Trump warned that more countries might be added “as threats emerge around the world.” Afghan refugee applicant Mehria, 23, described the emotional toll: “We gave up thousands of hopes and our entire lives… on a promise from America, but today we are suffering one hell after another,” she said.
