Trump signs travel ban on 12 countries, restrictions on 7 more

President Trump signed a proclamation to ban travel from certain countries on Wednesday evening, citing national security risks, administration officials told CBS News. 

The ban will be targeted at specific countries, but will allow for exceptions.

Mr. Trump’s proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, the officials said. It partially restricts the entry of people from seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

“President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm. These commonsense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information. President Trump will always act in the best of interest of the American people and their safety,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told CBS News.

Officials said the action is due to a high level of risk to the United States. 

Exceptions allowed under the new travel ban will be for lawful permanent residents, adoptions, dual nationals traveling on a passport from an unrestricted country, Afghan Special Immigrant Visas, foreign nationals traveling on diplomatic, U.N. or NATO visas; athletes or members of athletic teams, including coaches and support staff, and athletes traveling for the World Cup, Olympics or other sporting events; immediate family member immigrant visas, Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees, immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities in Iran, and other national interest exceptions, officials said.

The announcement of the ban follows an attack in Colorado on peaceful marchers raising attention for Israelis taken hostage by Hamas.