Trump Revives Broad Travel Ban, Targets 19 Nations over Security, Screening Failures
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In a sweeping move that echoes one of his most controversial policies, former President Donald Trump on Wednesday reinstated a comprehensive travel ban affecting nationals from 19 countries, citing serious national security concerns and inadequate immigration enforcement cooperation.
The latest presidential proclamation, announced from the White House, imposes a full-entry restriction on nationals from 12 nations deemed &ldquo;very high risk&rdquo;. These include Afghanistan now under Taliban control&mdash;alongside Burma (Myanmar), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The administration attributed the designation to factors such as terrorism links, non-cooperation with U.S. authorities, or systemic deficiencies in identity and security screening.
Seven other countries&mdash;Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela&mdash;face partial restrictions. These nations will be subject to limited visa issuance, particularly for B-1/B-2 visitor visas and certain student and exchange categories (F, M, J), due to excessive visa overstay rates or failures in law enforcement collaboration.
The White House framed the move as a corrective to what it described as a dangerously permissive posture under the Biden administration, pointing to surges in illegal migration and growing threats from regions with unstable governments or ties to extremist organisations. Data on visa overstays were highlighted in the decision-making process, with Chad reportedly registering a 49.54% overstay rate for B1/B2 visas and Eritrea showing over 55% for student and exchange categories.
Mr Trump, now 78 and seeking a return to the presidency, referenced the earlier iteration of the travel ban that faced legal challenges but was ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court&rsquo;s ruling at the time confirmed the President&rsquo;s authority to enforce such restrictions when grounded in legitimate national security concerns.
Describing the new measure as a continuation of his earlier efforts, Trump asserted it would &ldquo;keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the country,&rdquo; adding that the restored policy had already proven effective in curbing external threats during his tenure.
This renewed action is expected to stir both political debate and legal scrutiny in the coming weeks, particularly as the 2024 election campaign intensifies and immigration remains a central polarising issue.

US President Donald Trump (image source social media)

White House cites security threats, high overstay rates in sweeping entry restrictions

Trump Reinstates Travel Ban on 19 Nations

White House cites security threats, high overstay rates in sweeping entry restrictions

June 5, 2025 | 12:28 IST