Trump’s 2025 travel ban explained: Why these 19 countries are targeted, who’s exempt — and will more be added?

Dubai: President Donald Trump has revived a signature policy from his first term, announcing a sweeping travel ban that blocks citizens from 12 countries from entering the United States and imposes restrictions on travellers from seven others.

Set to take effect at 12:01am on Monday, the ban includes a short lead time — likely an attempt to avoid the airport chaos and legal confusion that erupted when a similar order was abruptly implemented in 2017.

Trump has reimposed a broad travel ban targeting nationals from 19 countries. The policy — officially titled a “Presidential Proclamation on Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry” — will take effect on June 9 at 12:01am, leaving a short window for government agencies, airlines and travellers to adjust.

The order bans or restricts the entry of foreign nationals from a mix of African, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Asian countries. It mirrors Trump’s controversial 2017 travel ban but with expanded scope and refinements meant to pre-empt legal and logistical backlash.

The 19 countries are split into two categories:

Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen

Limited Restrictions (Certain visa categories suspended): Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

In the first group, almost all forms of entry — including immigrant and non-immigrant visas — are suspended. In the second, the restrictions apply selectively, often targeting family reunification or temporary worker visas.

The White House listed a combination of reasons:

Poor screening systems: Many of these nations lack reliable passport or identity verification mechanisms, making background checks difficult.

High visa overstay rates: Countries such as Chad, Haiti, and Laos reportedly have high numbers of citizens who enter legally but remain after their visas expire.

Terrorism links or uncooperative governments: Iran was cited for supporting groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis; Afghanistan, now under Taliban control, has no formal diplomatic engagement with the US; Somalia is home to Al Shabaab, a designated terror group.

Trump’s team argues these countries pose a “heightened risk to US national security” due to “inadequate information sharing, document fraud, or support for terrorism.”

The proclamation comes just days after a June 1 attack in Boulder, Colorado, allegedly committed by an Egyptian national whose nonimmigrant visa had expired months prior. Though Egypt isn’t on the list, Trump cited the attack as evidence of how “failed vetting and overstayed visas continue to threaten American lives.”

This incident provided Trump with a highly visible justification to revive a signature campaign theme: controlling immigration under the banner of national security.

It’s more complex. The 2017 executive order targeted seven Muslim-majority countries and caused mass protests and airport chaos before being revised and ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court.

This 2025 version is broader and more nuanced:

It includes non-Muslim-majority countries like Venezuela, Cuba, and Laos.

It provides a brief notice period before implementation.

It includes specific exemptions to soften public and legal backlash.

Yet critics argue the ban retains the same discriminatory DNA, targeting countries with weak political clout and vulnerable populations under the guise of security.

According to the White House fact sheet, several groups are not affected:

US lawful permanent residents (green card holders)

Dual citizens (e.g., those holding a US passport and one from a banned country)

Immediate relatives of US citizens

Refugees already granted asylum

Afghans on Special Immigrant Visas who supported US military operations

Athletes and coaches travelling for global sporting events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics

Religious minorities fleeing persecution, such as Iranian Christians

These carveouts are intended to distinguish this policy from the 2017 ban and make it more resilient to lawsuits.

The move has drawn sharp criticism — especially for the inclusion of Afghanistan. Advocacy groups and veterans who helped evacuate Afghans during the US withdrawal in 2021 are calling the decision a betrayal.

“To include Afghanistan — a nation whose people stood alongside American service members for 20 years — is a moral disgrace,” said Shawn VanDiver, president of the #AfghanEvac coalition.

Trump’s response? He says Afghanistan “lacks a competent or cooperative authority” to vet travelers and noted that many Afghan nationals had overstayed visas or entered through refugee pathways without proper screening.

Civil rights groups, immigration advocates, and some Democratic lawmakers warn the ban could revive the specter of religious and racial profiling, deepen diplomatic rifts, and harm US moral standing abroad.

Yes. In a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Trump warned that the list was “just the beginning.” He said the policy would be reviewed periodically and expanded if needed, citing an internal memo that listed up to 43 countries as potential candidates for future bans.

What does this mean for US foreign policy and immigration?

The ban reinforces Trump’s “America First” doctrine, where immigration is closely tied to national security concerns. It also reasserts executive power over immigration, a major theme of his presidency.

While it appeals to his political base ahead of the 2026 midterms, it also raises questions about how the U.S. treats its allies and upholds international humanitarian commitments.

Legal challenges are likely. In 2017, courts blocked Trump’s initial travel ban before it was revised. Civil liberties groups are already preparing lawsuits, claiming the new policy violates due process and discriminates on national origin grounds.

Still, with the Supreme Court having upheld a version of the ban in 2018, Trump appears confident this iteration will stand.