On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping new proclamation restricting entry into the United States from 12 countries over what the White House calls urgent national security concerns.
The action bars foreign nationals from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the country.
Additionally, the administration is imposing partial restrictions on seven other nations: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The order comes just days after an antisemitic firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado, which authorities allege was carried out by an Egyptian national in the U.S. illegally after overstaying his tourist visa.
Trump referenced the incident directly in a video statement posted to Truth Social and X, saying, “We don’t want them.”
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted,” Trump said. “We will not let what happened in Europe happen in America.”
The restrictions apply to both immigrants and nonimmigrants and are set to take effect Monday. The proclamation cites terrorism threats, visa overstays, and inadequate information-sharing by certain foreign governments as the primary justifications for the bans.
The order also draws from Trump’s Jan. 20 executive directive, “Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” which instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials to identify countries with deficient vetting systems. According to the administration, many of the countries named also have poor records in repatriating deported nationals and maintaining proper border security.
In a post on X, White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said the new restrictions are “commonsense” and “country-specific,” designed to address national security, visa fraud, and terrorism-related risks.
The move revives and expands upon Trump’s 2017 travel ban, which targeted several Muslim-majority nations. That earlier policy faced legal challenges but was ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
Critics have already begun to denounce the latest action. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) called it “discriminatory” and accused the president of isolating America. But Trump and his allies argue the restrictions are necessary to protect American lives and prevent future attacks by dangerous foreign actors.
The proclamation gives detailed reasoning for each country listed. In several cases, including Afghanistan, Libya, Sudan, and Yemen, the administration cited the absence of competent central authorities to process and vet passports, ongoing conflict, or ties to terrorism. For Iran, the White House pointed to its designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Trump also announced a separate action Wednesday banning visas for certain foreign students set to attend Harvard University, continuing his broader effort to curb illegal migration and confront liberal institutions he sees as hostile to national interests.
“As President, I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” Trump said. “We are committed to working with countries that are willing to improve their information-sharing and security practices—but we will not wait for them to act.”