From Monday: The US Imposes a Total Travel Ban on 12 Countries

As of Monday night, a comprehensive travel ban will come into effect in the United States. President Donald Trump has decided to exclude citizens from 12 countries from entering the country.

According to Trump, the ban is intended to protect Americans from ‘foreign terrorists.’

The countries affected by the new ban include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. For an additional seven countries – Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela – partial restrictions are being imposed.

The Explanation Behind the Ban

The Trump administration justifies the decision by stating that the countries in question either host ‘a significant number of terrorists’, do not sufficiently cooperate on visa security, or have inadequate control over identity and criminal information.

As an example of the threat, Trump highlighted a recent incident in Boulder, Colorado, where an Egyptian national threw a gasoline bomb into a crowd during a pro-Israel demonstration.

Interestingly, Egypt is not among the countries affected by the ban.

Reactions at Home and Abroad

The announcement has sparked strong reactions both internationally and domestically.

President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno of Chad has announced that the country will, in response, cease issuing visas to American citizens.

‘Chad neither has planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but we have our dignity and our pride,’ he wrote in a Facebook post, referencing larger American ally countries like Qatar.

At the same time, many Afghan citizens who have worked for American projects fear that the ban will force them to return home to an uncertain future under Taliban rule.

Domestic Opposition

Representatives from the Democratic Party have called the decision both disproportionate and contrary to American constitutional principles. ‘Trump’s travel ban on citizens from over 12 countries is draconian and unconstitutional,’ wrote Congressman Ro Khanna on social media Thursday evening. ‘People have the right to seek asylum.’

The travel ban will take effect on Monday, June 9, at 12:01 AM Eastern Time.

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