Trump’s New U.S. Travel Ban Kicks In Amid Immigration Tensions

                                                                    Trump's Travel Ban

Sypnopsis: US President Donald Trump's new travel ban, effective June 9, 2025, restricts entry to the U.S. for citizens of 19 countries, mainly in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. While existing visas remain valid, new applicants without exemptions face rejection. Trump cites national security concerns, but critics and humanitarian groups argue the move targets vulnerable communities and fuels division.

Visa Holders Safe? What Trump’s Travel Ban Really Means

A new travel ban signed by U.S. President Donald Trump took effect on Monday, June 9, 2025. The new rules block entry for citizens from 12 countries, mostly in Africa and the Middle East.

President Trump signed the order on June 4. It also introduces new restrictions for people from seven more countries who are currently outside the United States and don’t have a valid visa.

The travel ban targets citizens from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. It also tightens entry for people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela if they don’t hold valid visas.

The countries facing partial travel restrictions under the new U.S. policy include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

However, the policy doesn’t cancel any existing visas already issued to travelers from these countries. According to guidance sent to U.S. embassies, anyone who already has a visa can still enter the country. But from Monday onward, new applicants who don’t meet specific exemption criteria will likely face rejection.

Immigration experts believe the new rules are more carefully written than Trump’s first-term travel ban, which faced legal setbacks. That earlier order had quickly blocked entry for citizens from several Muslim-majority nations.

In a social media video posted last week, Trump defended the new policy. He claimed that individuals from the banned countries posed threats related to terrorism, public safety, and visa overstays. He said many of these nations have poor security screening or refuse to accept deported citizens.

His argument draws on an annual Homeland Security report that highlights countries whose nationals frequently overstay tourist, student, or business visas. Trump also linked the new policy to a recent terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado. The suspect in that case came from Egypt--though Egypt is not on the banned list, and had overstayed a tourist visa.

Venezuela’s government also reacted strongly. President Nicolás Maduro’s administration called the ban a “stigmatization and criminalization campaign” against Venezuelan citizens.