US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning citizens from twelve countries from entering the US, while imposing partial restrictions on seven additional countries.
– I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people, the president said.
The countries subject to a complete ban on entry are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The ban applies to both immigrants and temporary visitors.
Partial restrictions are also being introduced for citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Among other things, the measures restrict the ability to obtain visas or permits to enter the country.
Trump referred to Sunday’s firebomb attack in Colorado, in which 15 pro-Israel demonstrators were injured. The attack, which was reportedly carried out by an Egyptian citizen with an expired tourist visa, was cited as a reason for the new entry ban.
– The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, Trump said in a video posted on Truth Social.
The opposition: “Discriminatory”
The presidential order builds on an executive decree from January 20, in which Secretary of State Marco Rubio was tasked with identifying countries with inadequate traveler screening. Trump accuses several of the countries of abusing the US visa system and refusing to accept citizens who have been deported from the US.
– I am committed to engaging with those countries willing to cooperate to improve information-sharing, he added.
The new ban is expected to lead to legal challenges and court cases similar to those that followed Trump’s first entry ban in 2017 – the so-called “Muslim ban” – which was ultimately approved by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Criticism has been sharp from activists and several Democratic representatives. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal called the ban “dangerous” and “discriminatory”.
– This ban, expanded from Trump’s Muslim ban in his first term, will only further isolate us on the world stage, she said in a statement. She also warned of alleged economic consequences and increased global uncertainty.
