President Donald Trump announced a new ban on 12 countries, mostly Middle Eastern and African, in a move he said was spurred by the recent attack on Jewish protesters in Colorado.
The ban includes all travelers to the United States from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
A partial ban was also imposed on seven other countries, including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted,” Trump said.
“We don’t want them.”
The African Union commented on the decision, calling it harmful to “people-to-people ties, education exchange, commercial engagement, and boarder diplomatic relations.”
Venezuelan officials called the travel ban “discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel,” adding that the United States itself was a dangerous destination.
