A complete entry ban for citizens of 12 countries and a partial ban for citizens of seven more countries came into effect in the United States on June 9. DW reports.
A complete ban was imposed on citizens of 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
A partial ban was imposed on citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Nationals of these countries will no longer be issued visitor and student visas. However, other types of visas — such as those for employment or family reunification with American relatives — will still be available.
The restrictions provide exceptions for permanent residents of the United States (green cards holders), dual nationals with a passport from a country not affected by the ban, or «certain family members of American citizens,» AFP reports.
The White House website outlines the reasons behind the administration’s decision to impose the visa restrictions. Among them are «inadequate vetting procedures» in some countries, a high rate of visa overstays among citizens, a lack of cooperation in sharing information, a «significant terrorist or state-sponsored terrorism presence,» and the refusal of some of the countries on the list to take back their citizens deported from the United States.
During his first term, Donald Trump imposed a similar ban on citizens of Cuba, Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. This measure was repealed by Joe Biden. This time, North Korea and Syria were not included in either the full or partial ban.
Trump said the measure was «enormously successful» during his first term and prevented terrorist attacks in the United States.
«We will restore the travel ban and prevent radical Islamic terrorists from entering our country,» he said.
