The government of Chad has declared an immediate suspension of all visas issued to U.S. citizens in a bold act of “reciprocity” after the country was named in a new U.S. travel ban impacting 12 nations. The ban, introduced by President Donald Trump, is set to take effect on Monday and is already sparking outrage and retaliation across the African continent.
President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno took to Facebook, declaring that while Chad may lack material resources, “Chad has its dignity and pride.” His comments came just hours after the U.S. unveiled its expanded immigration restrictions, which target nationals from seven African countries, making Africa the most affected continent.
In a video shared on X, President Trump defended the policy, stating, “We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm.” He emphasized that the list could be modified if “material improvements” were made in the affected countries, adding that more nations could be added as “threats emerge around the world.”
The White House justified the action by calling the move “common-sense restrictions” aimed at “protect[ing] Americans from dangerous foreign actors.”
While the Trump administration asserts the policy is rooted in national security concerns, many African leaders and citizens view it as discriminatory and unjust. Somalia, for example, has taken a conciliatory approach, pledging to cooperate with Washington to address any issues raised. In a statement, Somali Ambassador to the U.S., Dahir Hassan Abdi, noted that his country “values its longstanding relationship” with America.
Chad, however, expressed open dismay. Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul said the U.S. decision was “surprising” and dismissed the suggestion that Chad had failed to meet anti-terrorism standards. He criticized the rationale as “completely disregard[ing] Chad’s commitment and results in this area.”
The African Union also raised concerns, warning of the “potential negative impact” of the restrictions. The AU urged the U.S. to pursue a “more consultative approach… with the countries concerned.”
The backlash was palpable among affected nationals. An Eritrean man, speaking anonymously, said, “As Eritreans, we’ve already suffered under our regime at home, and now we’re facing the same hardship under Trump’s immigration policies. We’ve endured so much pain.”
Eritrea remains a one-party state where President Isaias Afwerki has held power since independence in 1993. Military conscription drives many citizens to seek asylum abroad.
Colorado Attack Triggers Stricter Vetting
The timing of the policy comes in the wake of a terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, which Trump referenced as a reason for stricter vetting. “The recent alleged terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, underscored the extreme dangers” posed by insufficiently screened foreign nationals, he said in a video on his Truth Social platform. However, critics noted that the suspect was Egyptian, and Egypt is not included in the ban.
The White House claimed that countries such as Libya, Somalia, and Sudan lack proper authorities to issue reliable documents or conduct “appropriate screening measures.” It also cited civil unrest and ongoing wars in these nations, as well as “a persistent terrorist threat” emanating from Somalia and a “historical terrorist presence within Libya’s territory.”
Furthermore, the administration pointed to high visa overstay rates from the other affected African nations, ranging from 15% in Togo to as high as 70% in Equatorial Guinea.
The order takes effect on June 9, giving a brief window before enforcement begins. Notably, visas issued before that date remain valid. Trump’s move fulfills a key promise from his 2024 campaign. He previously signed a similar executive order in 2017, which also targeted several Muslim-majority countries. That measure was widely criticized as a “Muslim ban” and was later revised to include non-Muslim countries like North Korea and Venezuela. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the policy in 2018.
President Joe Biden reversed the ban in 2021, calling it “a stain on our national conscience.”
Now, with Trump’s new directive reinstating and expanding the controversial ban, legal challenges may be looming once again.
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