Trump announces travel ban affecting a dozen countries set to go into effect Monday

WASHINGTON AP President Donald Trump is resurrecting the passage ban agenda from his first term signing a proclamation Wednesday night preventing people from a dozen countries from entering the United States The countries include Afghanistan Burma Chad Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Haiti Iran Libya Somalia Sudan and Yemen In addition to the ban which takes effect at a m Monday there will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi Cuba Laos Sierra Leone Togo Turkmenistan and Venezuela I must act to protect the national measure and national interest of the United States and its people Trump commented in his proclamation The list results from a Jan executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Safeguard and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a account on hostile attitudes toward the U S and whether entry from certain countries represented a national safety exposure During his first term Trump issued an executive order in January banning voyage to the U S by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries Iraq Syria Iran Sudan Libya Somalia and Yemen It was one of the greater part chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency Travelers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the U S or detained at U S airports after they landed They included students and faculty as well as businesspeople tourists and people visiting friends and family The order often referred to as the Muslim ban or the journey ban was retooled amid legal challenges until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in The ban affected various categories of travelers and immigrants from Iran Somalia Yemen Syria and Libya plus North Koreans and specific Venezuelan cabinet representatives and their families Trump and others have defended the initial ban on national protection grounds arguing it was aimed at protecting the country and not founded on anti-Muslim bias However the president had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House