Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two martyrs reported in the Israeli aggression on Qom, Iran
IRGC: The operation successfully destroyed the pre-determined targets
IRGC: We launched a heavy barrage of Shahed-136 suicide and attack drones, in addition to precision missiles
IRGC: The 18th wave of Operation True Promise 3 was directed at military targets and operational support centers of the occupation army
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Iranian air defenses activated above Tabriz and Zanjan
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Iranian air defenses successfully intercepted Israeli hostile targets above Tehran and Isfahan
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Iranian air defenses activated against Israeli hostile targets above Tehran
Israeli media: An Iranian missile fell on a building in Tel Aviv
Israeli media: The wave of Iranian missiles was directed at central ​​Tel Aviv
IOF reports sirens sounding in central occupied Palestine following the detection of missiles launched from Iran

Trump's sweeping travel ban on 12 countries goes into effect

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 9 Jun 2025 12:19
4 Min Read

Donald Trump’s new travel ban blocks or restricts citizens from nearly two dozen countries, mainly in Africa and West Asia.

Listen
  • x
  • President Donald Trump attends the UFC 316 mixed martial arts event Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey (AP)
    President Donald Trump attends the UFC 316 mixed martial arts event Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey. (AP)

A broad new travel restriction signed by Donald Trump officially went into effect at midnight on Monday, barring or limiting entry into the United States for citizens of nearly two dozen countries, primarily in Africa and the Middle East, reigniting debate over the president’s immigration agenda and its global impact.

This latest measure, enacted more than eight years after Trump’s original travel ban triggered mass protests and legal battles, marks a significant expansion in scope. Citizens from 12 nations: Afghanistan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, are now subject to a full entry ban. Partial restrictions will apply to travelers from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

Legal analysts have noted that unlike Trump’s initial 2017 executive order, which was widely condemned as a “Muslim ban” and eventually reshaped by the courts, this new directive is broader and crafted with language that may shield it from similar legal vulnerability.

Trump faces limited backlash

Despite its sweeping implications, the rollout of the new ban has so far been met with limited public outcry. It comes amid heightened tensions over Trump’s hardline immigration tactics, including his controversial use of the National Guard in Los Angeles following a wave of protests against renewed deportation raids.

Related News

Mahmoud Khalil ordered released on bail: Axios

Iran's Araghchi slams 'unjustifiable' Israeli war crimes, strikes

The latest proclamation includes Haiti, a majority-Christian nation that Trump vilified during his earlier presidential campaign, even promoting a discredited conspiracy theory that Haitian immigrants were responsible for bizarre acts of cruelty in the US. The inclusion of Venezuela, where Trump’s administration recently faced backlash over deportations to a notorious prison in El Salvador, has also drawn renewed scrutiny.

Critics say the policy will disproportionately impact African countries, cutting off avenues for students, professionals, and families. Mikhail Nyamweya, a foreign policy expert, has warned that the ban may institutionalize “a perception of Africans as outsiders in the global order.”

Humanitarian groups echoed that concern. “This policy is not about national security – it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America.

While five of the restricted countries, such as Equatorial Guinea and Myanmar, are not Muslim-majority, the list largely targets non-white populations from the Global South, reviving accusations that racial and religious bias continue to shape Trump’s immigration priorities.

Notably, the new order does not invalidate visas already issued before the policy took effect. However, new applicants from listed countries face near-certain rejection unless they meet a narrow set of exceptions, according to guidance issued Friday to US embassies and consulates.

Colorado attack cited as pretext

In a social media video posted Wednesday, Trump defended the ban as a national security measure, arguing that many of the affected countries have weak screening systems or refuse to repatriate citizens. He also linked the policy to a recent violent incident in Colorado, where the suspect, an Egyptian national who overstayed a tourist visa, is not from one of the listed countries. Authorities alleged that Soliman was in the US illegally and had filed for asylum three years earlier, in 2022.

Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, condemned the move: “The impact of the ban will once again be felt by Americans who were denied the ability to see their loved ones at weddings, funerals, or the birth of a child.”

In a related move, Trump also suspended visas for international students enrolling at Harvard University, claiming the institution represents a “liberal stronghold” with “un-American values.” The visa suspension at Harvard is expected to face legal scrutiny.

  • United States
  • Donald Trump
  • Trump travel ban

Most Read

Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A motorcycle is on fire after an Israeli drone strike targeted it in the southern Lebanese village of Baraachit, June 20, 2025 (Social media)
Politics

Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon lead to casualty, martyr

An Israeli military vehicle before it was targeted in Operation Breaking the Sword in Gaza, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)
Politics

Gaza Resistance pounds invading Israeli forces in joint operations

Israeli occupation forces and emergency teams work next to an unpopulated building after it was hit by a missile fired from Iran, in Haifa, occupied Palestine, Friday, June 20, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran bombs Israeli Interior Ministry in tit-for-tat response

A man is evacuated by an Israeli emergency team after a missile from Iran hits in Haifa, Israel, Friday, June 20, 2025 (AP)
Politics

1,217 injured in 'Israel' from Iran retaliation amid rising tensions

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS