President Donald Trump has signed a new proclamation reinstating a sweeping travel ban, barring entry to nationals from a dozen countries and imposing restrictions on several more.
The order, signed on late Wednesday, is set to take effect at 12:01 am on Monday.
The countries facing a full entry ban are: Afghanistan, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
In addition, the proclamation places heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
“I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” Trump said in the order.
Controversial policies
The move marks a revival of one of Trump’s most controversial policies from his first term, when a travel ban targeting majority-Muslim countries sparked widespread protests and legal challenges.
The Supreme Court ultimately upheld a revised version of that ban in 2018.
The White House did not offer specific justification for the selection of countries this time, but officials said the list was based on security assessments and cooperation with US screening protocols.
Trump said that other countries could be added as threats emerge around the world.
Civil liberties groups have condemned the policy as discriminatory and harmful to families separated by immigration restrictions. Advocates warn that the measure disproportionately affects refugees and asylum seekers, particularly from conflict zones such as Sudan, Afghanistan and Yemen.
