President Donald Trump's proposed travel restrictions on 19 countries went into effect Monday.
The new proclamation completely restricts travel for most foreigners from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Additionally, it imposes partial restrictions on individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
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The president cited national security concerns as the reason behind the bans, and highlighted the recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado.
"We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm," President Trump said in a video posted by the White House.
"We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen... That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others." –President Trump pic.twitter.com/ER7nGM4TO2
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 4, 2025
Notably, the suspect in the Boulder attack is an Egyptian national, and Egypt is not among the countries impacted by the ban. The order does, however, say administration officials will review the practices and procedures by which Egypt handles its screening process for people coming to the U.S.
The new ban is similar to one the president signed during his first days in office in 2017, but it has notable differences. That ban was protested for targeting majority-Muslim countries and faced multiple lawsuits before the Supreme Court eventually upheld a version of it.
The new ban does have exemptions for certain groups, including lawful permanent residents of the U.S., existing visa holders, and athletes and personnel traveling for the upcoming World Cup and Olympics. It also specifically notes why each country is on the list.
In the case of Libya, the order says, "There is no competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents in Libya. The historical terrorist presence within Libya's territory amplifies the risks posed by the entry into the United States of its nationals."
