U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order imposing a travel ban on citizens from 12 countries. This 'proclamation' completely restricts entry for individuals from Afghanistan, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
The ban is scheduled to take effect on Monday, June 9, at 00:01 Washington time (11:01 WIB). Visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will also face stricter limitations. Trump stated the measures were taken to protect national security and the interests of the United States and its people.
The White House cited inadequate screening processes in some countries, hindering the U.S.'s ability to identify security threats. Other nations showed high visa extension rates or did not cooperate in sharing identity and threat information. Trump previously implemented travel bans during his first term, targeting seven Muslim-majority countries in 2017 for 90 days.
The new travel ban follows an attack during a protest in Colorado, which authorities attributed to an Egyptian citizen allegedly in the U.S. illegally. Trump stated the ban could be expanded if new threats emerge. In addition to the travel ban, Trump also moved to block nearly all international students seeking to study at Harvard University from entering the country.
An executive order signed on Wednesday, June 4, stated that allowing Harvard to continue accepting international students would endanger national security. The order applies to all students seeking to enter the U.S. to study at Harvard after the order's issuance and will last for six months, with possible extensions. Decisions on visa revocation for foreign students, who make up about a quarter of Harvard's student body, will be made by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Trump accused top U.S. universities of being centers of anti-American movements. Harvard called the ban a retaliatory action. Trump stated the order was issued because Harvard refused to provide sufficient information on known violations and crimes committed by its foreign students. The travel ban includes exceptions, such as athletes and sports team members traveling for events like the World Cup and Olympics.