On June 4, 2025, president Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order reinstating and expanding the US travel ban — once again reshaping the landscape of global mobility. Effective June 9, the order imposes full or partial travel restrictions on citizens from 19 countries, citing national security concerns. While it echoes the controversial 2017 “Muslim Ban,” the new measure is broader in both scope and complexity.
The new US travel ban: Countries affected
President Trump’s new executive order imposes a full travel ban on citizens of 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Entry under any visa category is prohibited, with narrow exceptions for lawful permanent residents, dual nationals, and certain special visa holders.
An additional seven countries – Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—face partial restrictions. These may include limitations on specific visa types, enhanced screening procedures, and mandatory in-person interviews.
A policy of collective punishment and missed security priorities
The new US travel ban has reignited global debate over the efficacy, fairness, and underlying motivations of American immigration policy. Framed as a national security measure, the ban ostensibly aims to address “deficient screening,” “high visa overstay rates,” and “lack of cooperation on deportations.” Yet, a closer examination reveals a policy riddled with inconsistencies, selective enforcement, and questionable logic. The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado — allegedly committed by an Egyptian national on an expired visa — has been cited as a key driver, despite Egypt not being among the restricted nations.
Similarly, Syria—home to numerous jihadist factions—has been omitted, despite being a hub for extremist activity. Why are “all the jihadists in Syria” and other recognised terrorist groups not named, while countries with little to no direct link to recent attacks are targeted? This selective approach suggests the policy is more about political optics than genuine national security.
Arbitrary and politicised selection
The ban’s criteria for inclusion appear arbitrary and at times politically motivated. While the administration claims to rely on data, the actual application is inconsistent. For example, countries with higher visa overstay rates than some banned nations remain unaffected. This selective enforcement undermines the policy’s credibility and raises concerns that geopolitical considerations, rather than objective risk assessments, are driving these decisions.
The findings are “based on sketchy data and a misguided concept of collective punishment,” said Doug Rand, a former Biden administration official at US Citizenship and Immigration Services.”
This development is not an isolated case. It follows the disclosure of a draft State Department proposal earlier this year, suggesting a three-tiered system of travel restrictions targeting up to 43 countries. The proposed tiers were:
- Red List: Full entry ban for countries deemed to have deficient security and vetting processes.
- Orange List: Partial restrictions, including limitations on certain visa categories and enhanced screening.
- Yellow List: Countries given 60 days to address U.S. concerns or face potential restrictions.
While the draft has not been officially confirmed, its appearance in the media indicates a broader strategy to institutionalize travel bans as a routine immigration policy tool.
Historical context: 2017 echoes
To fully grasp the current situation, it is crucial to recall the initial travel ban imposed in January 2017. That executive order, so-called “Muslim Ban,” which barred citizens of seven nations (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen), unleashed immediate chaos at airports. Travellers were stranded, families were separated, and legal challenges mounted swiftly. The lack of notice and the broad sweep of the initial order created widespread confusion and significant humanitarian concerns.
While the ban was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in a revised form in 2018, its implementation served as a stark reminder of the far-reaching consequences of abrupt policy shifts in immigration. The initial ban notably affected various categories of travellers and immigrants, including North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials, alongside those from the listed predominantly Muslim nations.
What’s different this time?
The current announcement appears to benefit from a four-day buffer before implementation, potentially mitigating the immediate disarray seen in 2017. Furthermore, the explicit link to the Supreme Court’s prior ruling on travel bans suggests a more legally grounded approach from the outset, at least in theory.
Yet, many of the underlying concerns remain. The inclusion of Afghanistan, a nation whose people have historically worked alongside US service members, has drawn particular condemnation from human rights watchdogs. The ban makes exceptions for Special Immigrant Visa holders, acknowledging the vital role played by Afghans who supported the US mission. However, the broader inclusion, based on claims of “deficient” screening and high visa overstay rates, is viewed by many as a moral disgrace.
Similarly, Haiti’s inclusion — for the first time — is framed around visa overstay rates and the lack of centralized law enforcement data. But with Haiti already facing political collapse and humanitarian crisis, the ban risks exacerbating existing vulnerabilities.
The unjustified inclusion of Iran
Iran’s presence on the list is particularly troubling. For decades, the US has maintained some of the world’s most stringent screening procedures for Iranian nationals. Since the 1979 Revolution and especially after September 11, 2001, Iranian applicants have faced extensive background checks, lengthy processing times, and frequent denials. The US security apparatus is already robust in managing Iranian migration risks. Including Iran in this ban is not only redundant but also unjustifiable, serving more as a political gesture than a genuine security measure. It further isolates ordinary Iranians—students, families, and professionals—who have no connection to state policy or militancy.
While the ban includes limited exceptions for holders of valid visas and persecuted minorities, it creates serious challenges for Iranian-American families separated by geopolitics. The lack of a comprehensive humanitarian waiver process only deepens the sense of uncertainty. Iranian authorities have offered no immediate official reaction to this latest ban, despite the fact that the human impact is undeniable. For Iranian-Americans, the ban continues to represent a profound barrier to family reunification, preventing them from attending critical life events such as weddings, funerals, or the birth of a child.
It is crucial to note that the ban on Iranian citizens does include certain, highly limited exceptions. These primarily apply to individuals already holding valid visas before the ban’s effective date and those coming to the US on specific “special visas” issued for persecuted ethnic and religious minorities from Iran. However, the process for obtaining such visas is stringent and does not mitigate the broader impact on the vast majority of Iranian citizens. The lack of a clear humanitarian waiver process for urgent cases further compounds the difficulties for many.
Broader consequences and collective punishment
By targeting entire populations for the alleged actions or failures of their governments, the ban inflicts collective punishment on millions of innocent people. It disrupts families, blocks students and professionals, and damages America’s reputation as a destination for talent and refuge. The lack of a clear humanitarian waiver process, especially for urgent cases, compounds the suffering of those most in need.
The reinstatement and expansion of travel restrictions have significant implications for individuals and institutions worldwide.
Students, professionals, and families from affected countries face uncertainty and disruption. Even those with valid visas may encounter increased scrutiny or delays.
Universities, healthcare providers, and businesses that rely on international talent may find it more challenging to recruit and retain individuals from the targeted nations.
The bans may strain diplomatic relations with the affected countries, some of which are key partners in various international initiatives.
Conclusion: A blunt, politicized measure
The latest US travel ban is less a tool of national security than an instrument of collective punishment and political signalling. Its arbitrary selection of countries—often based on incomplete or selectively applied data—reveals a policy more concerned with optics than with genuine safety. The inclusion of Iran, despite decades of the most stringent vetting imaginable, is both redundant and cruel, serving only to further isolate ordinary Iranians and disrupt families. Meanwhile, the glaring omission of countries and groups with well-documented ties to terrorism, such as certain jihadist factions in Syria, exposes the ban’s true nature: a blunt, politicized measure that scapegoats the vulnerable while ignoring genuine threats. Such policies undermine the very values America purports to defend and erode its standing as a beacon of hope and opportunity.
As the US increasingly uses immigration and visa policies as a geopolitical instrument, individuals and organizations must adapt. For citizens of the affected countries — or those doing business, studying, or living transnationally — alternative mobility strategies are gaining relevance.
Investment-based migration programs, which can lead to alternative residency or even a second citizenship, were long seen as tools for tax planning or lifestyle enhancement. However, they may now serve a more urgent purpose: ensuring access, safety, and legal continuity in an unpredictable world. As with broader global mobility trends, strategic foresight is becoming essential.
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