Trump Travel Ban Expands: Every Country Affected

President Donald Trump‘s sweeping travel bans came into effect in June, affecting a total of 19 countries. The directive is reportedly part of the immigration crackdown efforts by the Trump administration and is designed to protect the country from “foreign terrorists.” In a statement about the travel ban, the president said, “We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm.” Trump added that the list of 19 countries could later be revised, and new countries could be added.

Countries Included in Trump’s Travel Ban

The first 12 countries under travel ban by the United States are Afghanistan, the African Republic of Chad, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Trump imposed travel bans on the aforementioned countries over allegations that the nations had a lax screening of travelers, “a significant terrorist presence” in their territory, a government that wasn’t cooperative enough in accepting deported citizens or residents who were prone to overstaying their visas in the U.S. In his statement, Trump explained, “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States.” For instance, citizens of Chad were accused of often overstaying their visas, and Trump’s proclamation declared that Afghanistan lacked a reliable central authority for vetting nationals who leave the country or for issuing passports, therefore raising the risk of national security.

Countries Restricted from U.S. Travel

In addition to the 12 countries banned from U.S. travel, President Trump imposed travel restrictions on seven countries, namely, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. The Trump administration described Cuba as a “state sponsor of terrorism,” adding that it fails to share “sufficient law enforcement information with the United States.” According to the Migration Policy Institute, there were approximately 607,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. as of January 2025. “The proclamation states that a high number of these immigrants overstayed their visa and accused the country of failing to have strong vetting processes for its nationals who emigrate,” reports have mentioned.

Impacted Countries Respond

Several of the nations included in the list of 19 countries have responded strongly to President Trump’s move. In the central African nation of Chad, President Mahamat Deby Itno announced that his country would respond by suspending the visas of U.S. citizens “in accordance with the principles of reciprocity.” In a statement, President Itno said, “Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has its dignity and pride,” possibly referring to Qatar’s luxurious gift to the Trump administration. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, a close ally of President Nicolas Maduro, described being in the U.S. as a “big risk for anybody.” The Interior Minister said in a statement, “The truth is being in the United States is a big risk for anybody, not just for Venezuelans. … They persecute our countrymen, our people for no reason.” Some other African countries were more conciliatory, with Sierra Leone’s information minister, Chernor Bah, saying the country “will work with U.S. authorities” to address the concerns raised by the White House. Dahir Hassan Abdi, the Somali ambassador to the U.S., said in a statement, “Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised.”

Colorado Terror Attack Prompted Travel Bans

According to reports, the sweeping travel bans are a response by the Trump administration to the terror attack that unfolded in Boulder, Colorado, in early June. The suspected attacker was identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national who reportedly illegally overstayed a tourist visa granted by the current administration, according to Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin: “The Colorado Terrorist attack suspect, Mohamed Soliman, is illegally in our country. He entered the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired on February 2023. He filed for asylum in September 2022,” McLaughlin wrote on X. The incident reportedly left at least 12 people injured, including four women and four men between the ages of 52 and 88. Trump said in a statement from the Oval Office in the aftermath of the attack, “The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme danger posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas. … We don’t want them.”

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