Trump Bans Citizens of 12 Countries From Entering U.S., Cites Terror Threat

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation barring citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States, citing national security concerns.

The order, signed Wednesday evening, affects Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

In addition, partial travel restrictions will apply to nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

The proclamation takes effect on June 9, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT (5:01 a.m. Nigerian time).

Trump said the move is necessary to protect the U.S. from “foreign terrorists” and other threats.

“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The president said the list of restricted countries may be updated and expanded. He noted that the most heavily affected nations were those believed to harbor a “large-scale presence of terrorists.”

Others, he alleged, had failed to cooperate on visa security, were unable to verify the identities of travelers, maintained poor criminal record-keeping, or had high rates of visa overstays.

“We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States,” Trump added.

The proclamation is part of a broader immigration crackdown that Trump began at the start of his second term, during which he vowed to restrict entry from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and other regions deemed a threat to U.S. security.