US Imposes Entry Ban on Citizens of 12 Countries

As of today, an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that prohibits the entry of citizens from 12 countries into the United States has officially taken effect. The countries affected include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. A complete entry ban has been established for citizens from these nations, according to The Guardian.

Additionally, seven more countries face partial entry restrictions. Citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will not be granted visitor or student visas. However, visas for work or reunification with American relatives will remain in effect.

Exceptions apply to legal permanent residents of the United States and those holding valid visas. The list of countries was established based on an analysis conducted by the State Department since January.

Trump previously indicated that the motivation for such measures stemmed from an antisemitic attack against Jewish activists in Boulder, Colorado. A 45-year-old Egyptian man, residing illegally in the US with a woman and children, threw a Molotov cocktail into a crowd while yelling "Freedom for Palestine." Fifteen people were injured, including a Holocaust survivor.

"In the 21st century, we have seen and continue to see terrorist attacks carried out by foreigners with expired visas who have come from various dangerous parts of the world," the president stated. He emphasized that there are millions of such individuals in the country.

Addressing the issue of terrorist attacks, Trump vowed to prevent a recurrence of incidents that have occurred in Europe from happening in America. He warned that more countries could be added to the ban list.