WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s new travel restrictions took effect early Monday, targeting citizens from 12 countries in an effort to prevent “foreign terrorists” from entering the United States.
The countries most affected by the full ban include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Additionally, citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will face partial entry restrictions.
President Trump explained that these nations were chosen due to concerns about harboring terrorists, inadequate visa security measures, inability to verify traveler identities, poor record-keeping, and high visa overstays.
He referenced a recent incident in Boulder, Colorado, involving violence by an Egyptian national, to justify the move, though Egypt itself is not affected by the ban.The policy echoes earlier restrictions from Trump’s first term, which targeted several Muslim-majority countries.
The announcement has drawn criticism from officials and citizens in affected countries, with Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno announcing a halt to US visa issuance in response, emphasizing national dignity.Afghan allies, fearing retaliation from the Taliban, voiced concerns over being forced to return home.
Democratic lawmakers condemned the ban, with Rep. Ro Khanna calling it “draconian and unconstitutional,” asserting that people have a right to seek asylum.
