Former U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order imposing a full travel ban on nationals from 12 countries and introducing heightened restrictions on citizens from seven others—but notably, Nigeria is not on the list.
The order, signed on the night of Wednesday, June 4, 2025, cites national security concerns and follows a recent attack in Colorado, which Trump referenced as justification.
Countries Facing Full Travel Ban:
- Afghanistan
- Chad
- Congo
- Yemen
- Eritrea
- Haiti
- Iran
- Sudan
- Myanmar
- Somalia
- Libya
- Equatorial Guinea
Countries Facing Increased Restrictions:
- Burundi
- Cuba
- Laos
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Turkmenistan
- Venezuela
The ban is set to take effect on June 9, 2025, and includes a clause allowing the Secretary of State to grant exemptions on a case-by-case basis.
Trump defended the move, stating:
“I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people. We cannot allow open migration from countries where we cannot safely and reliably vet individuals. We will not allow people into our country who seek to do us harm.”
He noted that many of the countries on the list are either experiencing ongoing conflicts or lack cooperation in sharing criminal records or facilitating deportations.
This latest directive echoes Trump’s controversial 2017 travel ban, which targeted several Muslim-majority nations and sparked widespread debate.
In a related development, Trump also signed an executive order suspending the entry of foreign nationals enrolling in or participating in programs at Harvard University, though further details on the rationale were not disclosed.
