Washington, June 4 (Prensa Latina) President Donald Trump signed a proclamation today to prohibit and restrict travel from several countries to the United States, including Cuba and Venezuela, citing alleged security risks.
The Proclamation completely restricts and limits entry from 12 countries “with deficiencies in vetting and background checks, and which pose a very high risk to the United States,” he said.
This group includes Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
While it “partially restricts and limits” the entry of citizens of seven nations that, according to the directive, “also represent a high level of risk to the United States,” including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
Regarding Cuba, President Trump repeats the false and arbitrary arguments that the island is a state sponsor of terrorism and that “the Cuban government does not cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement intelligence with the United States.”
He said that “historically, Cuba has refused to accept the return of its deported citizens.”
In line with the Proclamation, “the Report on Foreign Stays,” Cuba had an overstay rate of 7.69 percent for B1/B2 visas and an overstay rate of 18.75 percent for F, M, and J visas.
The measure establishes exceptions for legal permanent residents, current visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves the national interests of the United States, he emphasized.
He further noted that “the restrictions and limitations imposed by the Proclamation are necessary to obtain the cooperation of foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and promote other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.”
He added that, after reviewing a report submitted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in coordination with other Cabinet officials, Trump determined that the entry of citizens from certain countries should be restricted or limited in the interest of the aforementioned.
Pursuant to President Trump’s Executive Order 14161, issued on January 20, 2025, entitled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other Threats to National Security and Public Safety,” national security agencies conducted a comprehensive assessment of the alleged risk.
Trump made the final decision to sign this proclamation after the anti-Semitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, last Sunday, an unidentified White House official told local media, although the idea had already been floated in Washington.
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