Trump Bans 10 African Countries From Entering US

United States President Donald Trump has signed a new travel ban that affects nationals from several countries, including 10 in Africa.

The decision, which comes into effect on today, June 9,2025, has caused strong reactions both in Africa and around the world.

The full travel ban applies to 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. This means people from these countries cannot travel to the US. In addition, seven other countries face partial restrictions. These include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

President Trump said the ban is meant to protect the US from security threats and problems with illegal immigration. He shared a video on Truth Social where he explained, “We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen those who seek to enter the United States.”

He added that some of the listed countries had taken advantage of the US visa system. The proclamation also blamed many of them for high visa overstay rates and failure to accept deported citizens. Trump warned that the list would be reviewed in three months and updated every six months after that.

The travel ban has drawn criticism, especially from Africa. So far, the African Union, Chad, Somalia, and Venezuela have responded.

Chad’s President Mahamat Déby suspended visas for US citizens in return. “Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and pride,” he said.

Somalia took a softer tone. Its ambassador to the US, Dahir Hassan Abdi, said the country was ready to work with the US to address security concerns. “Somalia values its longstanding relationship with the United States,” he noted.

The African Union called on the US to choose dialogue and understanding instead of harsh restrictions. In a statement, it urged the US to act in a way that protects security while also respecting international cooperation. The Union expressed concern over the possible negative effects of the ban.

The countries targeted by the full ban face different accusations. For example, Trump said that Afghanistan and Iran are linked to terrorism and do not cooperate on security. Somalia and Libya are described as “terrorist safe havens,” while Haiti is blamed for creating criminal networks due to mass migration. Chad, Equatorial Guinea, and Congo-Brazzaville were mainly accused of having high visa overstay rates.

Partial restrictions apply to countries like Venezuela, where the government has strongly opposed the move. Venezuela’s Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello, warned that “being in the United States is a big risk,” and accused the US government of acting like “supremacists who think they own the world.”

The US government also accused Cuba of sponsoring terrorism and refusing to take back deported citizens. Similar issues of visa overstay were mentioned for countries like Togo, Laos, and Sierra Leone.

This is not the first time President Trump has introduced a travel ban, but this latest action includes the largest number of African nations so far. Many fear it could damage US relations with the continent and affect thousands of families and workers already in the country or planning to travel.

Source: BBC