Trump imposes a ban on citizens from 12 countries, including 4 Arab countries.

In a sudden decision that sparked widespread controversy, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday, Wednesday, prohibiting citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States, under the pretext of "protecting Americans from potential external threats," according to an official statement from the White House. The new order, which goes into effect on June 9, 2025, includes predominantly Muslim and Arab countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen, in addition to Burma, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, and Haiti. Partial restrictions were also imposed on citizens from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. In a video message released by the White House, Trump justified the move by referring to the "recent terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado," considering the incident as having "highlighted security loopholes that foreigners could exploit to enter the country without sufficient scrutiny." The decision also included a ban on granting visas to foreign students wishing to study at Harvard University, described as a new escalation in Trump's strict immigration policies since his return to the White House in January 2025. It is worth mentioning that this ban recalls a similar decision issued by Trump during his first term, when he banned travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries, a decision that faced wide legal challenges before being upheld by the US Supreme Court in 2018. However, former President Joe Biden revoked it immediately upon taking office in 2021, describing it then as a "stain on the nation's conscience." The new order is part of a series of security measures announced by Trump since his return to the presidency, including a previous executive order in January last year to "intensify security screening for all foreigners seeking entry into US territory." The step has been criticized by human rights organizations and academic circles, deeming it discriminatory and potentially leading to increased international isolation for the United States, at a time when geopolitical tensions are escalating on multiple fronts.