President Trump’s new travel ban went into effect Monday, imposing entry restrictions on travelers from 12 countries and placing additional limitations on seven others.
The proclamation, signed by Trump on Wednesday, fully blocks or limits entry for nationals from countries deemed high-risk due to inadequate screening and vetting procedures. The 12 countries subject to the full ban are Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The seven countries that are partially banned are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
“As President, I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” Trump wrote in the proclamation. “I remain committed to engaging with those countries willing to cooperate to improve information-sharing and identity-management procedures, and to address both terrorism-related and public-safety risks.”
According to a White House fact sheet, certain exceptions to the travel ban apply, including lawful permanent residents, current visa holders, individuals in specific visa categories, and those whose entry is deemed to serve U.S. national interests.
Leaders from several of the affected countries have since responded to President Trump’s proclamation. Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno posted on Facebook on Thursday, writing, “I instructed the government to act in accordance with the principles of reciprocity and suspend the issuance of visas to citizens of the United States of America. Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give but Chad has his dignity and pride.”
But other countries, including Somalia, want to negotiate with the administration. “Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States and stands ready to engage in dialogue to address the concerns raised,” Dahir Hassan Abdi, the Somali ambassador to the U.S., said in a statement Wednesday.
