President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning entry into the U.S. from 12 different countries, while putting travel restrictions on seven others.
According to CBS News, while the order targets certain countries, it does allow some exceptions. However, officials said the order was necessary because of the high level of risk to the U.S.
White officials said citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, will have full restrictions and limited entry.
Citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will be partially restricted.
It is set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 9.
“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told CBS News. “These commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information. President Trump will always act in the best of interest of the American people and their safety.”
Officials stated that the new travel ban includes specific exemptions. These apply to lawful permanent residents, adoptees, dual nationals using passports from unrestricted countries, and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders. Other exceptions cover foreign nationals traveling with diplomatic, U.N., or NATO visas, as well as athletes, coaches, and support staff participating in global sporting events such as the World Cup or Olympics.
Additionally, the policy allows immediate family member immigrant visas, Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees, visas for ethnic and religious minorities from Iran, and other cases deemed to serve national interests.
