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Details from experts
President Donald Trump's travel ban came into effect on June 9th, closing out travelers from 19 countries, setting a potential conflict between airports and courts across the country.
detail:
Immigration and migration
US
Africa
Middle East and North Africa
Trump shocked many people earlier this month, citing national security concerns and signing an executive order for a travel ban. The ban imposes restrictions on citizens from seven other people, except for citizens from 12 countries. The move marked a dramatic escalation in the president's immigration crackdown, reviving the hardlining tactics used during his first period that caused confusion at the airport and brought legal challenges. The ban is broadly balanced and targets more countries and is expected to face litigation.
In a June 4 declaration, Trump argued that some of these countries have a “inadequate” review process, which poses a national security threat and that could lead to travelers having excessive visa stays. He also picked out countries that refused to accept US deportations. In a video posted on social media that day, the president said the recent terrorist attacks in Boulder, Colorado, underscored the need for such a ban. (Boulder's suspicious attacker is from Egypt. This is not one of the countries on the restricted list.)
Trump said that if “material improvements” were made, affected countries could be excluded from the ban, and there could be more new “threats appearing around the world.” Most of the list has tense relationships with the US, with some facing internal chaos of their own, whether it's a civil war or a oppressive rule.
Details from experts
Just a few days after rolling out the ban, the administration said it had identified 36 countries (most of Africa) that it believes it is considering adding to its list, including Bhutan, Cameroon, Egypt and Nigeria. These countries have 60 days to improve specific benchmarks for review and screening concerns.
Some groups are exempt from the ban, such as Dual Nationals, legal permanent residents and their immediate family members, and other specific statuses. Players participating in the upcoming 2026 World Cup will also not be affected.
detail:
Immigration and migration
US
Africa
Middle East and North Africa
However, thousands of other citizens (many face conflict and hardships in their home countries) will be subject to the new ruling.
This is 19 countries affected by the ban.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan has experienced serious human rights oppression since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with women and girls taking the brunt of the group's oppressive domination. Human Rights Watchdog records arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, media censorship and torture. The US does not recognize the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan.
The US State Department granted 37,164 visas to travelers from Afghanistan between May 2024 and April 2025.
Chad
The bilateral relationship between Chad and the United States has been fraying ever since the country and other Sahel states rejected partnerships with the western troops of the region. Chad also has one of the huge rates of visas on the list, at almost 50%. Chad's leaders continue their three-year family authoritarian dynasty, but violence and climate change-related issues have exacerbated the country's hunger and evacuation.
The US has granted 15,206 visas to travelers from Chad.
Republic of the Congo
Congo has been accused of high visa resident in the US, but other countries that are not on the list have a higher overstay rate. Meanwhile, Trump called for “Congo.” It is commonly used to refer to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the poorest and most conflict-affected countries in the world.
The US has granted 2,163 visas to travelers from the Congo.
Equatorial Guinea
Trump's declaration targets the enormous fees for advanced visas in the central African country of Equatorial Guinea, but this rate is lower than other countries not included in the ban. According to WatchDog Freedom House, the country is addressing a series of human rights concerns and ranks one of the fewest countries in the world.
The US has granted 754 visas to travelers from Equatorial Guinea.
Eritrea
The East African country has been accused of failing to use its citizens' criminal history, refuses to accept US deportations, and has a high visa overstay rate. Eritrea has been in one party state since independence in 1993 under highly oppressive and unelected rules. In 2023, the US accused Eritrea of committing war crimes during a fatal conflict in northern Ethiopia.
The US has granted 2,723 visas to travelers from Eritrea.
Myanmar
Myanmar is referred to as Burma by the Trump Declaration and the US State Department, but has been ruled by a military junta ever since the outbreak of a violent and ongoing civil war four years ago. More than 75,000 people have been killed and another 3 million people have been displaced due to the conflict. The country plunged deep into the crisis when the catastrophic earthquake in March caused the deaths of thousands of civilians.
The US granted 15,206 visas to travelers from Myanmar at the same time.
Haiti
Gang violence has been holding iron grips in Haiti for several years, with over 80% of the country's capital being controlled by gangs, with over a million Haitians displaced internally. The United Nations has supported multinational security missions on small Caribbean islands, but so far, violence has been difficult to contain. Climate change and natural disasters have further weakened the country's stability. In February, Trump announced that he would end the temporary protected status of 500,000 Haitians living in the United States by August.
The US has granted 13,051 visas to travelers from Haiti.
Iran
Iran is one of the solid geopolitical enemies of the United States, and Trump's declaration declares the country as a sponsor of state terrorism. The addition to Iran's list comes as the United States is caught up in tension around a diplomacy over Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities. The country is not considered a safe place for many civilians. The United Nations has documented a surge in the use of the death penalty in recent years, as well as concerns about the right to free expression and basic needs.
The US has granted 23,154 visas to travelers from Iran.
Libya
According to the White House, Libya is on the list of “historic terrorist presence.” Washington also accused Libya of failing to properly issue passports and civic documents to citizens. The United Nations accuses the country of committing crimes against humanity. Libyan authoritarian rule and the history of the Home Ministry have also spurred the challenges of large-scale immigration.
The US has granted 4,030 visas to travelers from Libya.
Somalia
The White House described Somalia as a “safe shelter for terrorists” led by a dysfunctional government that “lacks command and control of its territory.” Al-Shabaab rebels unleashed the country in 2020, doubling the death toll in 2020, despite the government's attempts to counter the attacks. The country is also facing severe food insecurity, with hunger levels that Watchdog considers to be “anxiety.”
The US has granted 3,196 visas to travelers from Somalia.
Sudan
Sudden in one of the world's bloodiest wars, Sudan faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis with 30 million people (more than two-thirds of the population) in need of assistance. Millions of Sudanese are evacuated to neighboring countries. The United States has tried to mediate a ceasefire multiple times since the start of the war in 2023, but has not been successful.
The US has granted 8,427 visas to travelers from Sudan.
Yemen
Trump's declaration points out that Yemen was the site of “active US military operations” after Washington launched a permanent strike against Yemen's Hooty rebels this year. Houthis controls large strips of northern and western Yemen, repeatedly targeting shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Meanwhile, the country is entangled in its own complex decade-old civil war, with over 21 million people in need of assistance.
The US has granted 14,677 visas to travelers from Yemen.
Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela
These seven countries face partial travel halts under the ban. This means that travelers from these countries cannot enter the US on a specific visa. In most of these cases, Visa inventory is cited as a major concern. However, Trump's declaration has chosen Cuba as a “national sponsor of terrorism,” accusing Venezuela of refusing to accept US exiles and lacking strong central authority to issue passports.
