Donald Trump wants the best for the United States. But the Democrats want to stand in his way.
And President Trump makes a crucial national security move that has Leftists seething.
Trump Issues Sweeping Travel Ban on 12 Countries, Signals More Restrictions Possible
In a bold move, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday that halts entry for foreign nationals from 12 countries, citing national security risks. The executive action, which also partially restricts travel from seven additional nations, marks a significant escalation in the administration’s immigration policy.
“I have determined to fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals of the following 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen,” Trump declared in the proclamation. Additionally, the order imposes partial restrictions on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
“These restrictions distinguish between, but apply to both, the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants,” the proclamation clarified, affecting both those seeking permanent residency and temporary visitors.
The decision comes in the wake of a recent antisemitic firebombing attack in Boulder, Colorado, allegedly perpetrated by an Egyptian national whose tourist visa had expired. Trump pointed to this incident as a driver behind the new policy.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas,” Trump said in a video posted on Truth Social. “We don’t want them.”
Donald J. Trump Truth Social 06.04.25 08:11 PM EST
We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen…. pic.twitter.com/b0EGsvjqnm
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) June 5, 2025
The proclamation also directs the State Department, Attorney General’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of National Intelligence to assess Egypt’s “screening and vetting capabilities” following the Colorado attack, though no restrictions have been placed on Egypt at this time.
This travel ban builds on Trump’s January 20 executive order, titled “Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” That order tasked Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other Cabinet officials with identifying countries whose vetting processes are inadequate, warranting entry restrictions.
“Many of these countries have also taken advantage of the United States in their exploitation of our visa system and their historic failure to accept back their removable nationals,” Trump said, criticizing the listed nations. He argued that individuals from these countries “pose significant risks of overstaying their visas,” which he said burdens law enforcement and heightens national security and public safety risks.
“As President, I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” Trump emphasized, while expressing openness to working with countries willing to improve their information-sharing and identity-management systems to address terrorism and public safety concerns.
The policy echoes a similar travel ban Trump issued early in his first term in 2017, which targeted several Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Yemen, and Libya. That order faced immediate legal challenges but was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The new proclamation is already drawing criticism and is expected to face significant legal pushback.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, condemned the ban as “dangerous” and discriminatory. “This ban, expanded from Trump’s Muslim ban in his first term, will only further isolate us on the world stage,” Jayapal stated.
“This discriminatory policy, which limits legal immigration, not only flies in the face of what our country is supposed to stand for, it will be harmful to our economy and our communities that rely on the contributions of people who come to America from this wide range of countries,” she said.
Jayapal also warned of the policy’s global implications. “Banning a whole group of people because you disagree with the structure or function of their government not only lays blame in the wrong place, it creates a dangerous precedent,” she continued.
“Further, banning people fleeing dangerous countries like Afghanistan – a country where many people are in danger due to their work assisting the U.S. military – the Congo, Haiti, and Sudan will only further destabilize global security.”
As the administration moves forward with the ban, all eyes are on the courts and the international community to see how this policy will unfold.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
