The United States has introduced a new travel ban targeting citizens from 12 countries, including Iran, Libya, Afghanistan, and Somalia. This executive order, signed by former President Donald Trump, aims to restrict entry due to concerns over inadequate screening and security checks of travelers from these nations.

The affected countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The ban is based on insufficient information provided by these countries regarding their citizens’ screening processes, which the US government believes could harm national security interests.

In addition to these full entry bans, the US has also imposed partial restrictions on travelers from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. These limitations vary and may include stricter visa procedures or temporary suspension of certain visa categories.

The executive order states that the suspension or restriction is necessary to protect the United States from potential threats posed by inadequate vetting of travelers from these countries.