Breaking: Court Showdown Reignites Over Trump’s Travel Ban—Here’s How the Ruling Could Impact Travelers

President Donald Trump has signed a new presidential proclamation that reinstates and expands his controversial nationality-based travel ban, blocking most visa categories for citizens of 12 countries—Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Somalia, Syria and Yemen—starting Monday, 9 June 2025. The order, released late Wednesday, cites “ongoing national-security and public-safety threats” and directs U.S. consulates to halt the issuance of immigrant, diversity-lottery and most non-immigrant visas to nationals of the listed states, with limited waivers available on a “case-by-case” basis. Key provisions and timelines • Immediate 48-hour suspension of new visa interviews for affected nationals, giving embassies two business days to notify applicants of cancelations. • A 90-day review period during which the Departments of State and Homeland Security must report on each country’s identity-management and information-sharing practices. • Mandatory social-media screening for all waiver applicants and for dual-nationals seeking to prove a “significant contact” with the United States (such as close family ties or urgent medical need). Which visas are barred? The proclamation blocks immigrant visas, diversity-lottery visas and most temporary work and tourism visas (B-1/B-2, H-1B, L-1 and O) for the 12 countries listed, while allowing student visas (F and M) and diplomatic/official visas to continue under heightened vetting. Refugee admissions from the same nations are capped at 5,000 for the remainder of fiscal year 2025, a sharp cut from last year’s 18,000-person ceiling. Economic and humanitarian impact The American Immigration Council estimates the expanded ban will block roughly 190,000 visa applicants over the next 12 months, costing U.S. universities an estimated $430 million in lost tuition and reducing tech-sector labor supply by as much as 14 percent in key metro areas like San Francisco and Austin. Non-profit resettlement agencies warn of “life-or-death consequences,” pointing to families already separated since the first travel ban in 2017. Global reaction Governments in Tehran, Mogadishu and Yangon condemned the move, calling it “collective punishment.” In Afghanistan, the Foreign Ministry said the ban undermines joint counter-terror cooperation, while Nigeria summoned the U.S. ambassador to demand an explanation. At home, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced it will file suit in federal court this week, arguing that the policy again targets Muslim-majority nations in violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. Legal outlook Because the Supreme Court narrowly upheld a previous version of the ban in 2018, legal experts predict that challengers will focus on alleged procedural flaws—such as reliance on outdated threat assessments and failure to consult Congress—rather than solely on claims of religious bias. University of Texas law professor Steve Vladeck notes that the current Court “could still strike it down if plaintiffs prove the administration ignored its own statutory criteria for exclusion.” What travelers should do now • Check visa status immediately: Applications already in process are automatically paused; applicants may request a refund or await review after the 90-day assessment window. • Monitor embassy alerts: Each U.S. mission will post individualized waiver guidelines within 10 days. • Prepare alternative routes: Dual-nationals who hold passports from non-listed countries must use that document when booking flights and at U.S. port-of-entry checkpoints. • Consult legal counsel: Immigration attorneys advise filing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for case notes that may support hardship waivers. Looking ahead Congressional Democrats are drafting a resolution to rescind the order, but any repeal would require a two-thirds majority to overcome an expected presidential veto. Meanwhile, Republicans have largely backed the move, framing it as a “decisive security measure” in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections. SEO-friendly takeaway “Trump travel ban 2025,” “countries affected by Trump’s new travel ban,” “visa restrictions Afghanistan, Nigeria, Iran,” and “how to get a waiver under Trump travel ban” are among the most searched phrases this morning. As the policy countdown begins, travelers, universities and multinational employers are scrambling to assess risk and chart next steps.