New Travel Ban Under Trump: Details and Impact

A new travel ban, implemented by the Trump administration, has targeted 12 countries, largely impacting nations in Africa and the Middle East. The affected countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Restrictions also apply to individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela who do not have valid U.S. visas. While existing visas are not revoked, new applications are blocked unless exceptions are met. This approach aims to avoid legal setbacks encountered with the initial travel ban. The administration has cited security concerns, mentioning inadequate screening systems and failures in cooperating with U.S. deportation procedures. Rights groups and immigration advocates have expressed disapproval, particularly over the inclusion of Afghanistan, which had a substantial number of refugees coming to the U.S. before earlier travel restrictions.