In a dramatic intensification of his tough immigration agenda, US President Donald Trump has reinstated and widened his controversial travel ban, blocking the entry of nationals from 12 countries and tightening visa controls on seven others. It has reopened arguments about national security, global diplomacy, and alleged political bias, particularly over the exclusion of Pakistan, a country Trump once labelled a “terror haven.” The policy, effective at 12:01 am Monday, applies to nations such as Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Libya, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, and Haiti. Increased restrictions have also been imposed on citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. These restrictions target individuals who are currently outside the US and do not possess valid visas.

According to a statement from the White House, the restrictions are intended to "protect US citizens from aliens who seek to commit acts of terrorism, pose a threat to national security, or seek to exploit our immigration laws." The latest order stems from a January 20 executive directive requiring the Department of Homeland Security, State Department, and intelligence agencies to identify countries deemed to have a “hostile attitude” toward the United States. President Trump also linked the move to a recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, claimed to have been carried out by an Egyptian national who had overstayed on a tourist visa. Ironically, Egypt is not among the new travel ban nations, and this has further sparked criticism over the discriminatory nature of the bans.

Who Is Affected By The New Ban?

The restriction contains several key exclusions, including:

• US green card holders and dual citizens
• Afghan special visa holders who aided US forces
• Athletes attending major global events
• Refugees who were admitted before the restriction
• Diplomats, UN workers, and adopted children of citizens

Individuals with previously approved but not yet released visas of the targeted countries will now be prohibited from entry, except if they fall under narrow humanitarian or official exceptions. The policy has spurred mixed reactions all over the world. Chad retaliated by suspending visa entries for US nationals, with Venezuela condemning the action as "criminalisation of its people." Humanitarian organizations such as Oxfam America denounced the policy as "divisive and rooted in racism." In the United States, the Haitian-American community was outraged. "People just want safety and peace," said 23-year-old Elvanise Louis-Juste in Newark. "This is not about security; this is about discrimination," he added. At the same time, Cuban-American Trump supporter William Lopez was applauding the move: "They don't want to work. They support communism. What Trump is doing is right."

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Pakistan's Exclusion Raises Eyebrows Amid Tightening Trump Ties

Notably, Pakistan is not included in the list, which had before been hit with visa sanctions and suspensions of aid in Trump's first term. The exclusion has caused outrage from policy observers and India's strategic community, particularly in the wake of Pakistan's continued engagement in cross-border terrorism. A leaked internal memo cited by Reuters verified that Pakistan was initially on the list for consideration before it was omitted from the final selection. This decision may coincide with recent commercial partnerships involving Trump-linked businesses and Pakistani authorities. In April, a crypto collaboration between Islamabad and World Liberty Financial (WLF), an American-based fintech company associated with Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr, and Jared Kushner, was officially disclosed. The deal, entailing blockchain development and tokenisation of assets of the nation, was personally signed by key Pakistani officials and military commanders, including Army Chief Asim Munir. The WLF website also prominently displays Trump's face and the motto "Inspired by Donald J Trump," fueling fears of undue business influence on immigration policy.

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After the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 Indian tourists were killed in April, Trump initially condemned. But subsequently, he asserted that he had intervened with "economic levers" to cool down tensions between India and Pakistan. India, on the other hand, rejected this assertion. The Ministry of External Affairs released a stern clarification, declaring, "It was the strength of Indian arms that forced Pakistan to ask for a ceasefire. There was no foreign mediation." Former Pentagon spokesman Michael Rubin rebuked Trump's position, stating that "by claiming he had brokered peace, Trump equated the morality of terror-supporting Pakistan with terror-victim India." As Trump makes his controversial immigration agenda a centerpiece of his policy again, the inclusion and exclusion of nations under the new ban seem to be a result not only from national security but from shifting geopolitical and business interests.