Monrovia — Liberia managed to stay off a recently released list of nations subject to U.S. travel limitations, after raising worries early this year that the nation might be penalized due to non-compliance with specific visa and security standards.
More than two months prior, the United States government categorized Liberia as ” yellow,” which serves as a cautionary label advising the nation to resolve particular shortcomings; otherwise, they face potential sanctions. It remained unclear at that point if Liberia could take prompt action to evade repercussions or if common citizens might bear the brunt of governmental indecision.
Nonetheless, President Donald Trump’s most recent executive order, which was issued this week, omits Liberia from the roster of nations subjected to complete or partial travel restrictions. This directive prohibits individuals from 12 countries—mostly located in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—from gaining entry into the United States.
Adjacent to Sierra Leone, which fell into one of seven nations facing partial limitations because of significant visa overstays, a new policy has been enacted. This policy suspends various U.S. visa programs for these countries’ citizens; nonetheless, complete prohibition of entry hasn’t been put in place.
Trump defended the action as crucial for enhancing national security and combating terrorism.
“Acting as President, my duty is to safeguard the national security and interests of the United States and its citizens,” said Trump in his statement. “I am dedicated to working alongside nations ready to collaborate in enhancing data sharing and identity management processes, along with tackling threats related to terrorism and public safety.”
Nations Forbidden From Accessing the U.S.
The 12 nations currently subject to complete travel restrictions are:
Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
As stated in the announcement, numerous countries did not agree to welcome back their citizens or showed high levels of visa violations, actions viewed by the administration as significant breaches of U.S. immigration regulations. Additionally, Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia faced criticism due to insufficient checks and screening procedures.
Countries Facing Partial Restrictions
Seven countries, including Sierra Leone, are subject to partial restrictions affecting selected visa categories:
Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The affected nations will experience pauses in specific visa categories; however, several exclusions remain applicable. Individuals holding lawful permanent resident status in the United States, those with Afghan Special Immigrant Visas, people using diplomatic visas, and close relatives applying for immigrant visas are not included. Additionally, the directive permits special considerations for minority groups based on religion and ethnicity from Iran, individuals who hold multiple nationalities and travel under non-restricted passports, as well as competitors taking part in Olympic Games or FIFA World Cups.
The travel limitations are set to come into force at 12:01 a.m. ET on Monday.
Criticism and Geopolitical Impact
NBC News reports that critics contend the updated travel ban might exacerbate tensions between the United States and its tenuous international allies. The Trump administration has encountered increasing criticism for various actions, including imposing trade tariffs, cutting back on humanitarian assistance, compelling countries to take back deportees, and sanctioning those unwilling to comply.
A video posted by the White House on Wednesday evening featured President Trump characterizing the travel limitations as “a crucial element in thwarting significant terrorist acts from abroad on U.S. territory.” He justified these enhanced immigration controls by referencing the recent incident in Boulder, Colorado—a hate crime against Jewish people resulting in at least 12 casualties.
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