President Donald Trump on Tuesday imposed sweeping travel restrictions on nationals from 19 countries, citing national security concerns and inadequate vetting procedures in what marks the most expansive immigration ban of his second term.
The proclamation, effective June 9 at 12:01 a.m., fully suspends entry for nationals from 12 countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia and Haiti, while implementing partial restrictions on seven others including Cuba and Venezuela.
"The United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those aliens approved for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans or our national interests," Trump stated in the proclamation signed Tuesday.
The restrictions affect both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, with some countries showing visa overstay rates exceeding 40 percent. Chad recorded the highest business/tourist visa overstay rate at 49.54 percent, while Equatorial Guinea showed a 70.18 percent overstay rate for student and exchange visas, according to Department of Homeland Security data cited in the order.
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Countries facing full entry suspensions include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The seven countries with partial restrictions are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
The proclamation identifies Iran and Cuba as state sponsors of terrorism, while describing Afghanistan as controlled by the Taliban, "a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group." Somalia was characterized as lacking "command and control of its territory" and identified as "a terrorist safe haven."
Several exceptions remain in place, including for lawful permanent residents, diplomatic personnel, athletes competing in major sporting events, and certain family-based immigrant visas with "clear and convincing evidence of identity and family relationship."
The restrictions build on Trump's first-term travel ban, which the Supreme Court upheld in 2018. The new proclamation follows a 60-day review period mandated in Executive Order 14161, issued on Trump's first day back in office.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, working with the Attorney General, Homeland Security Secretary and Director of National Intelligence, will assess the restrictions every 180 days and engage affected countries on compliance measures.
The proclamation also directs officials to review Egypt's screening capabilities, though the country faces no immediate restrictions.
Trump emphasized the policy aims to "protect its citizens from terrorist attacks and other national security or public-safety threats" while encouraging foreign governments to improve information-sharing protocols with U.S. immigration systems.
The restrictions take effect five days after announcement, allowing time for implementation across U.S. consulates worldwide.
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