12 countries barred and 7 more face heightened restrictions in the recent US travel ban.
Ever since taking the reins of the American presidency, Donald Trump has been introducing sweeping reforms in pursuit of making America great again, with the latest being introducing travel bans and restrictions affecting a total of 19 nations.
These measures come amid concerns over security risks, immigration enforcement, and cooperation with American authorities.
According to the officials, travel bans target a dozen countries where concerns include inadequate screening of travellers, the presence of terrorist organisations, and governments’ reluctance to accept deported citizens.
Also, seven other countries face travel restrictions due to similar concerns, including high rates of visa overstays.
The countries fully banned from entering the US are Afghanistan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Here’s the combined list in a single table with two columns — one for banned countries and one for restricted countries:
| Banned from Travel | Restricted on US Travel |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Burundi |
| Chad | Cuba |
| Equatorial Guinea | Laos |
| Eritrea | Sierra Leone |
| Haiti | Togo |
| Iran | Turkmenistan |
| Libya | Venezuela |
| Myanmar | |
| Republic of the Congo | |
| Somalia | |
| Sudan | |
| Yemen |
Countries subject to travel restrictions include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
These new measures reflect the administration’s ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. borders and enhance national security amid global challenges.
Reason behind travel ban
Donald Trump linked the new travel ban to a recent terror attack, focusing on countries with high visa overstay rates.
The inclusion of Afghanistan angered supporters who helped resettle its people, though exceptions exist for those with Special Immigrant Visas.
The ban sparked condemnation from aid groups, who called it divisive and harmful to refugees. It follows an executive order requiring agencies to assess national security risks from certain countries.
