US President Donald Trump has introduced new travel restrictions that include a full travel ban impacting 12 countries and a partial ban on seven more.

President Trump Announces New Travel Ban Affecting 19 Countries (Full List)

On June 5, 2025, President Trump announced a sweeping new travel ban that will take effect at 12:01 am ET on Monday, June 9. The policy bars or restricts entry from 19 countries and revives a hallmark immigration measure from his first term, which was retooled due to legal challenges but ultimately upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 (and rescinded by the Biden Administration in 2021).

Countries Affected

Full Travel Ban (12 countries):

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

Heightened Restrictions (7 countries):

• Burundi
• Cuba
• Laos
• Sierra Leone
• Togo
• Turkmenistan
• Venezuela

The administration cites national security concerns, including inadequate traveler screening processes, significant terrorist threats, and lack of cooperation from governments in accepting deported individuals or addressing visa overstays, as reasons for these measures.

Implementation and Exemptions

In contrast to the original 2017 rollout, which caused confusion and detentions at airports, this version includes a brief five-day grace period for travelers and airlines to adjust.

Exemptions include:

• U.S. lawful permanent residents (green card holders)
• Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non-restricted country
• Accredited diplomats and UN personnel
• Athletes and select visa holders with prior authorization
• Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, including those who assisted U.S. forces during the Afghanistan conflict

Link to Colorado Attack?

Trump announced the travel ban while campaigning in Arizona and directly connected the policy to a recent violent incident in Colorado in which an Egyptian man allegedly stabbed several individuals, including four girls, in a park.

“Just this week, a foreign national viciously stabbed multiple people, including beautiful young girls, in a park in Rockford, Colorado,” Trump said. “Under Crooked Joe, we are a dumping ground for the rest of the world. On Day One, I will restore the travel ban and expand it even further to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country.”

The case Trump referred to involved a man legally present in the U.S. on a student visa from Egypt. Egypt is not one of the countries on Trump’s list.

Legal Outlook

Legal analysts believe this policy could survive court challenges, citing the precedent set in 2018 when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the earlier travel ban on national security grounds. The inclusion of specific exemptions may bolster the administration’s legal standing.

While Trump’s own words may suggest the true reason for this ban, the inclusion of non-Muslim countries like Eritrea and Myanmar (Burma) and the specific rationale (visa overstays, inadequate oversight, poor recordkeeping) provided for the ban will make it very hard for this to be overturned.

I expect litigants will court shop until they find a federal judge willing to put this policy on hold, but I expect the Supreme Court to eventually uphold it.

CONCLUSION

The new travel ban, which affects 19 countries and revives a core Trump-era policy, reflects an ongoing focus on immigration control and national security. While exemptions cover key groups like Afghan SIV holders and legal residents, the broader implications of the policy will become clearer as implementation begins next week.

Travelers originating in or connecting through the affected countries should carefully review their documentation and consult with immigration counsel where appropriate.

image: White House