‘We do not want them’: Who is impacted in Donald Trump’s travel ban | Explained

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday revived one of the previous policies of his first term, announcing that citizens from 12 countries would be barred from entering the United States, with additional restrictions imposed on travellers from seven others, most of which are mainly Muslim nations.

‘We do not want them’

In a video shared on social media, Trump linked the newly announced travel ban to Sunday’s terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, arguing that it highlighted the risks posed by individuals who overstay their visas.

The suspect in the attack, however, is from Egypt — a country not included on Trump’s restricted list — and, according to the Department of Homeland Security, had overstayed a tourist visa.

Also Read: Why did Donald Trump order a ban on travellers from 12 countries?

Trump justified the ban by claiming that certain countries have “deficient” screening and vetting processes or have consistently refused to repatriate their citizens. His decision heavily draws on an annual report by Homeland Security, which tracks visa overstays among tourists, business travellers, and students entering by air or sea, focusing on nations with particularly high overstay rates. “We don't want them,” Trump said.

Travel ban or Muslim ban?

The order, often referred to as the “Muslim ban” or the “travel ban”, was reworked amid legal challenges until the Supreme Court upheld a version in 2018. 

The ban impacted various categories of travellers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, as well as North Koreans and certain Venezuelan government officials and their families.

Also Read: Here’s how Donald Trump is taking a softer tone on Islam

Trump has defended the initial ban on national security grounds, arguing it was intended to protect the country and was not based on anti-Muslim bias.

However, Trump had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House.

List of 12 banned countries

Here are the 12 countries placed under the ban and the seven placed under travel restrictions:

Banned from US travel: Afghanistan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Restricted to US travel: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

When does it take effect?

The proclamation signed by Donald Trump will come into force on 9 June 2025, at 12:01 AM EDT, a cushion that may avoid the chaos that unfolded at airports nationwide when a similar measure took effect with virtually no notice in 2017.

Also Read: Donald Trump victory in US election shocks Muslims

Trump, who signalled plans for a new ban upon taking office in January, appears to be on firmer ground this time after the Supreme Court sided with him.

Who is affected?

The travel restrictions apply to foreign nationals from the designated countries who:

• Are outside the United States as of 9 June, and
• Do not possess a valid visa on that date.

However, the proclamation clarifies that any immigration or non-immigrant visa issued before 9 June will remain valid and will not be revoked under this order.

Also Read: What happens to visas granted before June 9, list of exceptions — All you need to know

Some, but not all, 12 countries also appeared on the list of banned countries in Trump's first term.

Countries under partial travel ban:

The proclamation restricts entry for immigrants and those on specific temporary visas—B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas—from the following countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Travel ban does not apply to:

1. Lawful permanent residents (green card holders) of the US.

2. Dual nationals travelling on a passport from a non-restricted country.

3. Diplomats with valid non-immigrant visas.

4. Athletes and their immediate relatives attend events like the Olympics or other major sports competitions.

5. Individuals with:

Immediate family immigrant visas.

Adoption-related visas.

Afghan Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs).

Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees.

Immigrant visas for persecuted ethnic and religious minorities from Iran.

Afghan factor in Trump's travel ban 2.0

The ban includes exceptions for Afghans holding Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), typically granted to those who worked closely with the US government during the two-decade war in Afghanistan.

It is to be further noted that Afghanistan was among the top sources of resettled refugees, with approximately 14,000 arrivals in the 12 months leading up to September 2024. It's a stark contrast to Trump’s earlier outlook— he had suspended refugee resettlement on his very first day in office during his previous term.

Also Read: Afghan, Pakistani citizens barred from entering US? 

“To include Afghanistan — a nation whose people stood alongside American service members for 20 years — is a moral disgrace. It spits in the face of our allies, our veterans, and every value we claim to uphold,” said Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of #AfghanEvac.

Trump wrote that Afghanistan “lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents, and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures”. He also cited its visa overstay rates.

Haiti 

Haiti, which avoided the travel ban during Trump’s first term, was also included for high overstay rates and large numbers who came to the US illegally. Haitians continue to flee poverty and hunger, and political instability deepens while police and a UN-backed mission fight a surge in gang violence, with armed men controlling at least 85 per cent of its capital, Port-au-Prince, as reported by AP.

Also Read: Trump’s fish stories about cats, dogs and Haitians

“Haiti lacks a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States,” Trump wrote.

Iran

The Iranian government has yet to respond to its inclusion on the list. The Trump administration labelled Iran a “state sponsor of terrorism”, barring visitors except those already holding visas or entering the US on special visas granted to minorities facing persecution.

Also Read: Iran’s supreme leader rejects US nuclear deal offer

The travel ban stems from an executive order issued by Trump on 20 January, directing the Departments of State, Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to prepare a report on “hostile attitudes” toward the US and assess whether entry from certain countries posed a national security threat.

Also Read: Ukraine could become Trump’s Afghanistan

International aid groups and refugee resettlement organisations roundly condemned the new ban. “This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America, as reported by The Associated Press.

Other Middle Eastern countries on the list—Libya, Sudan, and Yemen—are all engulfed in ongoing civil conflicts with territories controlled by rival factions. Sudan is currently experiencing active warfare, Yemen’s conflict remains largely stalemated and Libya’s armed factions continue to clash.

(With inputs from Associated Press)