Washington: US President Donald Trump's new travel ban, restricting entry to the US for citizens from 12 countries, took effect Monday amid growing tensions over his intensified immigration enforcement efforts.
According to Anadolu Agency, the new proclamation, signed by Trump last week, targets citizens from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. It also enforces stricter restrictions on individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The guidance released Friday to all US diplomatic missions indicates that the new ban does not cancel visas already issued to individuals from the listed countries. However, starting Monday, applications will be denied unless the applicant qualifies for a narrow exemption. Despite the ban, travelers holding previously issued visas should still be allowed to enter the US.