President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban on entry to the U.S. for citizens from a dozen countries took effect on Monday. This ban, primarily impacting individuals from African and Middle Eastern nations, was implemented while the country faces heightened tensions surrounding immigration enforcement. Unlike the chaotic response seen during Trump’s first travel ban in 2017, the rollout this time appeared to be comparatively calm.
At Miami International Airport, Vincenta Aguilar expressed her anxiety as she and her husband, both citizens of Guatemala, underwent extensive questioning from U.S. officials upon landing. The couple, who obtained tourist visas last week, found themselves subjected to three different interviews by authorities, posing various questions about their lives and travel plans.
“They asked us where we work, how many children we have, if we have had any problems with the law, how we are going to afford the cost of this travel, how many days we will stay here,” recounted Aguilar. After approximately an hour, they were allowed to reunite with family members in Florida, marking an emotional encounter after 22 years apart.
The new travel ban impacts citizens from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, it imposes increased restrictions on nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela who do not possess valid visas and are outside the U.S.
Crucially, the ban does not revoke previously issued visas for individuals from the affected countries, as clarified in guidance issued to U.S. diplomatic missions on Friday. However, unless applicants can demonstrate they meet specific exemption criteria, their applications will be denied. Those with existing visas are still able to enter the U.S. even after the ban’s implementation.
Narayana Lamy, a Haitian citizen working in his government, experienced delays after presenting his passport and tourist visa at the Miami airport, where officials confirmed his admissibility by phone. Conversely, Luis Hernandez, a Cuban green card holder, reported no issues when returning to Miami after visiting his family in Cuba, stating, “They did not ask me anything. I only showed my residency card.”
The new travel ban seems to have bypassed the tumult that accompanied Trump’s earlier attempts to restrict immigration during his first term. The previous executive order, hurriedly introduced in 2017, led to widespread confusion and protests at airports nationwide, prompting legal challenges that forced significant alterations to the policy.
Many immigration experts observe that the current ban is crafted with greater intention, likely designed to withstand judicial scrutiny and legal challenges. President Trump cited “deficient” screening processes in certain nations and a historical refusal to repatriate their own citizens as justifications for the new restrictions. His administration referenced an annual report from Homeland Security detailing noncompliance of individuals overstaying their visas, which has been a complex issue for experts for years.
Trump’s proclamation temporarily referenced overstay rates from eight of the twelve restricted countries, indicating a connection between immigration and security issues. In light of recent violent incidents, including a terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, Trump highlighted the need for scrutiny regarding individuals overstaying their visas in his argument for the travel ban. Notably, the attacker in this instance overstayed a tourist visa but originated from Egypt, which is not on the banned list.
The travel ban drew immediate backlash from organizations focused on refugee aid and resettlement. Abby Maxman, the president of Oxfam America, criticized the policy as not being about national security, but rather serving to foster division among communities seeking safety and opportunity in the United States. Haiti’s transitional presidential council also voiced concern, indicating the measures would likely affect all Haitians indiscriminately and announcing intentions to negotiate with the U.S. for the country’s removal from the restricted list.
In contrast, some individuals, such as Roland Bastien, a Haitian native now a U.S. citizen, expressed support for the travel ban. “The ban is good,” he said after returning from a trip to Haiti. “The United States wants to know exactly what type of people are coming into this country. I don’t have any problem with that.”
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