Trump signs new travel ban targeting 12 countries including Iran

On Wednesday (U.S. time), the U.S. President officially enacted a travel ban from several countries. The order was issued following a meeting with leaders of the Jewish community residing in the U.S.

According to CBS News, citing Washington government officials, this declaration fully prohibits the entry of citizens from twelve countries into the United States. The countries affected by this ban are: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

Additionally, entry for citizens from seven other countries will be partially restricted. These countries include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

This new decision recalls Trump’s controversial policy during his first presidential term, when he implemented a travel ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries. That policy, which faced widespread criticism, was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. However, Joe Biden, the Democratic president and Trump’s successor, repealed the ban in 2021, describing it as “a stain on the national conscience.”

Regarding the current matter, according to the news website Jewish Insider and statements from three participants in the White House meeting on Wednesday, the new executive order was discussed during a meeting between Trump and leaders of the Jewish community. The session was attended by several dozen people and was held following last month’s attack in Washington — an attack that resulted in the deaths of two Israeli embassy staff members outside the city’s Jewish museum.