Trump travel ban: Trump bars entry to US from 12 countries

Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu
US reporter

Trump says his travel ban order is partially in response to threats of terrorism.

But besides Iran, none of the 12 countries hit by the ban are named on the US government’s State Sponsors of Terrorism list.

Trump also said some of the countries, such as Libya and Sudan, were put on the list because of the “competence of the central authority for issuance of passports”.

Many of the countries have ongoing armed conflicts. Others were on the list because their governments don’t give access to criminal records, he said.

The order also says some of the countries have been put on the list because of difficulties US officials have had deporting citizens from those countries back home.

Generally, people scheduled to be deported require travel documents from their home countries.

With regards to the partial ban on tourists, business travellers and students from seven other countries, Trump said it was because of a high rate of visa overstays by its citizens.

As we have reported, Egypt is not on the list of banned countries – despite Trump citing the recent attack in Colorado by an Egyptian national when announcing the travel ban.