President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a proclamation that significantly broadens travel restrictions on foreign nationals from several countries, bringing back and expanding a policy closely associated with his first term. Trump said the move was necessary to safeguard U.S. national security.
In a follow-up statement, the White House said the proclamation keeps full entry bans in place for citizens of 12 countries it has classified as “high risk,” including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also expands the policy by imposing broad new restrictions on travellers from Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria.
The order goes a step further by blocking entry for people travelling on documents issued by the Palestinian Authority. The administration said the decision stems from security concerns, pointing to gaps in vetting at a time when the conflict in Gaza and the West Bank has placed additional strain on local governance and screening systems.
“The restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to prevent the entry of foreign nationals about whom the United States lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose,” the White House told.
READ: From ‘Third World’ to ‘every damn country’: Should Indian visa holders brace for a travel ban? (
The restrictions are based on concerns that weak data sharing, corruption, high rates of visa overstays and the presence of extremist groups have compromised screening systems in the countries affected.
At the same time, the administration said the restrictions will not apply to lawful permanent U.S. residents, people who already hold valid visas and select groups such as diplomats and athletes. It added that entry will also be allowed in cases where travel is considered to be in the national interest.
Officials said waivers will continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but signalled that family-based exemptions will be tightened, arguing that these categories have been susceptible to misuse.
The administration, however, offered some relief to Turkmenistan by lifting the suspension on nonimmigrant visas, including tourist, business and student categories, while continuing to block immigrant visas. The White House said the decision reflected the country’s “significant progress” in working with U.S. authorities and strengthening information-sharing mechanisms.
READ: Trump administration tightens green card process for travel ban countries (
Trump said the move was taken after consultations with senior cabinet officials and a review of updated security assessments. He added that the restrictions would be calibrated country by country, framing them as a way to push governments to work more closely with Washington.
This is not the first time Trump has taken such a step. During his first term, he rolled out travel bans targeting several predominantly Muslim-majority countries, a move that sparked mass protests and a series of legal battles before the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the policy in 2018.
After returning to the White House earlier this year, Trump reinstated those restrictions, placing tougher immigration controls and border security at the heart of his second-term agenda. “President Trump is keeping his promise to restore travel restrictions on dangerous countries and to secure our borders,” the White House mentioned.