On June 4, President Trump issued a proclamation restricting the entry of nationals from 19 countries, effective June 9.
The proclamation justifies the restrictions by citing national security and public safety. It explains that the assessed factors include each country's ability to screen and share information, the presence of terrorism, visa overstay rates, and whether the country cooperates in accepting deported individuals.
Scope of the Ban
Twelve countries face near-complete visa bans (no immigrant or non-immigrant visas):
- Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen.
Seven countries face partial visa bans (ban on immigrant visas and select non-immigrant visas like tourist, student, and exchange):
- Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela.
Who Is Affected
- Nationals of these 19 countries outside the U.S. without a valid visa as of June 9.
- Immigrant and non-immigrant visa applicants in affected categories.
Who Is Exempt
- Individuals with valid visas issued before June 9.
- Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders).
- Refugees, asylees, and individuals granted Withholding of Removal or protection under the Convention Against Torture.
- Diplomats and NATO personnel.
- Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens.
- Children adopted abroad.
- Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders and US government employee SIVs.
- Dual nationals traveling on a passport from a non-listed country.
- Individuals granted an exemption on national interest grounds.
- Immigrant visa applicants who are ethnic or religious minorities facing persecution in Iran.
- Athletes, coaches and support staff, and immediate relatives of athletes participating in "major sporting events," including the Olympics and the World Cup.
- Individuals whose entry is deemed in the national interest by the U.S. Attorney General or Secretary of State.
Review and Removal
- The Secretary of State must establish a review process within 90 days and reassess bans every 180 days.
- Countries may be removed or adjusted based on compliance with U.S. vetting standards.
Employers or individuals seeking advice on travel bans should contact the Taft Immigration team for further details.
This update is part of Taft's White House Toolkit. Please reference the toolkit for additional cross-practice coverage of federal legislative and regulatory activity that may affect businesses or organizations.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
