KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order barring citizens from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, from entering the United States, citing national security concerns.
The ban, which takes effect on June 9, 2025, has sparked deep concern among Afghan citizens, particularly those approved for resettlement under the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) and refugee programs.
“We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm,” Trump said in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the list of banned countries could be revised and expanded in the future.
The proclamation also targets citizens of Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. While not listed among the banned nations, Egypt was at the center of the recent controversy that prompted the ban.
The move follows an antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, allegedly committed by an Egyptian national who had overstayed his visa. The incident prompted renewed calls from the Trump administration for stricter immigration controls.
In addition to the 12 countries facing full restrictions, citizens from seven others, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela, will face partial travel limitations, according to Reuters.
Critics argue that the ban disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. Roughly 20,000 Afghans who have been approved for U.S. resettlement or whose cases are still pending could now be left in limbo. Many of them previously worked with U.S. forces and now face threats from the Taliban.
Human rights organizations have warned that the new restrictions could endanger lives by preventing at-risk individuals from escaping dangerous conditions.
The U.S. State Department has not yet clarified whether exceptions will be granted for SIV holders or approved refugees. In the meantime, the announcement has sown confusion and anxiety among Afghan nationals awaiting relocation.
