President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order banning access to the United States for citizens from 12 countries, citing the need to protect the country from „foreign terrorists.”
The decision, which takes effect on June 9, is justified by Trump following the recent aggression in Boulder, Colorado, which he described as a terrorist attack.
The ban applies to citizens from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela - are subject to partial restrictions.
Exceptions are provided for holders of special visas and those who can demonstrate that their travel "serves the national interest of the USA."
International Reactions
Venezuela immediately issued a warning to its citizens, describing travel to the USA as a "major risk."
Although the Boulder attack was carried out by an Egyptian citizen, his home country is not on the list of bans. The assailant, a 45-year-old man, is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, facing charges of hate crime and attempted murder.
On Sunday, in Boulder (Colorado), a man threw incendiary devices at participants in a march supporting Israeli hostages, injuring 12 people. The attacker shouted "Free Palestine" during the assault.
Trump cited this incident in his video statement, emphasizing that "we cannot allow entry into the USA of individuals who have not been properly vetted."
The White House clarified that the suspect was in the USA illegally, with an expired tourist visa. However, he had applied for asylum and had since obtained a work permit. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the attack as "a horrific antisemitic act."
Reissuing Bans from the First Term
Trump compared the new ban to similar measures taken during his first term, when he imposed travel restrictions on several Muslim countries.
"We stopped attacks in America that Europe could not avoid," he said.
White House Deputy Spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated that the bans "are specific to each country" and target states that do not provide security guarantees or effectively control who leaves their territory.