Trump expands travel ban effective Jan. 1 to more countries

President Trump issued a proclamation Dec. 16, 2025, expanding the U.S. travel ban to 39 countries plus Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The proclamation modifies and expands a Jun. 4, 2025, order that suspended entry from 19 countries. It invokes Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which grants the president broad authority to suspend entry of any aliens whose entry "would be detrimental to the interests of the United States." This is the same authority Trump used for his 2017 "Muslim ban," which the Supreme Court upheld in a 5-4 decision.

The proclamation fully suspends entry (both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas) from 19 countries: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Section 2 continues the suspension for 12 countries from the Jun. order. Section 4 adds seven countries to the full-ban list: Laos, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, plus individuals traveling on Palestinian Authority-issued documents.

Partial restrictions apply to 20 additional countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and four others. For these countries, immigrant visas are suspended, as are nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 business/tourist visas, F-1 student visas, M-1 vocational student visas, and J-1 exchange visitor visas. H-1B specialty occupation visas and other work visas aren't explicitly restricted, though applicants still face enhanced scrutiny.

The suspensions apply only to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on Jan. 1, 2026, and don't have a valid visa on that date. Those already in the U.S. or holding valid visas as of Jan. 1 aren't affected by the proclamation. The proclamation includes national security and public interest waivers on a case-by-case basis, similar to the 2017 travel ban. Waivers can be granted if denial would cause undue hardship or if entry serves the national interest. But waiver approval rates during Trump's first term were extremely low—less than 2% of applicants got waivers.

The proclamation cites "deficiencies in identity management, information sharing, and risk factors" as justification. The State Department conducted an interagency review and determined these 39 countries fail to meet U.S. security standards for information sharing, document integrity, and public safety. Critics, including the American Immigration Council and NAFSA, argue the ban is discriminatory, targets Muslim-majority nations, and lacks transparency about how countries were selected. Of the 19 fully banned countries, 11 are Muslim-majority nations. Critics say this is a religious test for entry, violating the First Amendment.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, is among the partially restricted countries. Nigerian nationals account for over 20,000 students at U.S. universities annually, making Nigeria one of the top sources of African students. The inclusion of Nigeria, Tanzania, and Senegal sparked diplomatic concerns and protests from African Union members. The State Department said partial restrictions balance security concerns with economic and diplomatic ties but didn't explain why Nigeria was partially restricted while smaller nations like Laos faced full bans. African immigration advocates say the ban reflects anti-African bias, not legitimate security concerns.

NAFSA, the international education association, warned the ban will disrupt study abroad programs and enrollment of international students from affected countries. F-1 and M-1 student visas are blocked for 20 countries. In 2024, Nigeria sent over 20,000 students to U.S. universities. Immigration advocacy groups filed lawsuits in federal court Dec. 17, 2025, challenging the proclamation as unconstitutional religious discrimination and a violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The 9th Circuit heard oral arguments Dec. 22, 2025. The case could reach the Supreme Court by spring 2026.