Former US President Donald Trump signed a new executive announcement to impose strict restrictions on the entry of citizens of a number of countries to the United States, led by Yemen, in a move through which he revived the controversial immigration policy that he pursued during his first term.

According to what was stated in an official statement issued by the White House, the announcement imposes a full ban on the entry of citizens of 12 countries, including Yemen, to American territory, because of what the administration described as “concerns related to national security, and the absence of adequate examination and audit standards in those countries.” The list includes: Yemen, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan.

The statement pointed out that these countries “constitute a very large threat to the security of the United States”, as a result of their weak security systems or their complete lack of cooperation in the field of exchanging information with the American authorities.

It was also announced that partial restrictions were imposed on seven other countries, namely: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

This decision brings back to mind the policy of ban that Trump applied at the beginning of his term in 2017, which then targeted countries with a Muslim majority, including Yemen, before the US Supreme Court ratified it in 2018, amid sharp local and international criticism, which prompted President Joe Biden to cancel the embargo upon assuming the presidency in January 2021, describing it as “a stigma for our national conscience.”

The new announcement comes just days after Trump issued another executive order, on January 20, to tighten the security examination of foreigners who seek to enter the United States, as part of a clear escalation of his security and electoral speech with the approaching date of the upcoming presidential elections.

This decision raises wide concerns among Yemeni and Arab communities in America, where many fear that this policy will lead to the separation of families and the disruption of immigration and asylum transactions, especially for those fleeing from the conflict areas.

The advertisement is also expected to meet a strong opposition from human rights organizations and civil society, which sees in these measures a racist and discriminatory targeting against certain peoples under the cover of national security.