President Locks Borders: Foreign Entry Restricted for Security Reasons
Published Date: 12/19/2025
Presidential Document
Summary
The U.S. is tightening who can enter the country to keep everyone safe from threats like terrorism and hate crimes. People from certain countries with weak background checks will face new travel limits starting soon. These changes help protect Americans without costing extra money but mean stricter visa rules for some travelers.
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 4 costs, 1 mixed.
Continued full travel ban for 12 countries
The proclamation continues a full suspension of entry into the United States for nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen for both immigrant and nonimmigrant admission. These bans remain subject to the categorical exceptions and case-by-case waivers described in the proclamation.
New full suspensions and PA document ban
The proclamation imposes new full suspensions of entry for nationals of Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria, and it fully suspends entry for foreign nationals traveling on travel documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority. These suspensions apply to both immigrant and nonimmigrant admissions and are subject to exceptions and waivers in section 6.
Suspension of common visitor & student visas for many countries
For nationals of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the entry as immigrants and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is suspended. The proclamation also directs consular officers to reduce the validity of any other nonimmigrant visas issued to nationals of these countries to the extent permitted by law; for Turkmenistan, nonimmigrant restrictions were lifted while immigrant entry remains suspended.
Who the suspensions apply to and visa protections
The suspensions apply only to foreign nationals of the designated countries who are outside the United States on the proclamation's effective date and who do not have a valid visa on that date. The proclamation also states that no immigrant or nonimmigrant visa issued before the effective date (12:01 a.m. EST on January 1, 2026) shall be revoked pursuant to this proclamation.
Continued partial travel limits for four countries
The proclamation continues partial suspensions and limitations on entry for nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela for both immigrant and nonimmigrant admission, subject to the same categorical exceptions and case-by-case waivers. The proclamation explicitly states these are partial restrictions and limitations carried forward from prior action.
Exceptions preserve entry for specific groups
The proclamation excludes certain people from the suspensions, including lawful permanent residents, dual nationals of a designated country traveling on another country's passport, holders of specified diplomatic/official visa classes (A, C-2, C-3, G, and NATO classifications), athletes and their immediate relatives for major sporting events, Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. Government employees, and immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran. These exceptions apply despite the broader suspensions.
Case-by-case national-interest waivers available
The proclamation allows case-by-case exceptions or waivers for individuals when the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, or the Secretary of Homeland Security finds, in their discretion, that travel would serve a United States national interest (including when individuals must be present for criminal proceedings as witnesses). Such exceptions must be made by the designated official in coordination with the other specified officials.
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