Authored by Darren Taylor via The Epoch Times,
Some critics of President Donald Trump’s latest proclamation of bans from entering the United States on the nationals of seven African countries, and restrictions on three others, say these are unjustified and proof of American neo-colonialism and imperialism.
On the other hand, supporters and some experts said his measures are fair, as some of the countries concerned are terrorist havens, while others are poorly governed and don’t have the security systems in place to adequately screen and vet travelers.
The White House issued an executive order on June 4 prohibiting travel to the United States for citizens from Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan, with some exceptions, such as existing visa holders.
In terms of the declaration, travel to the United States by people from an additional three African nations—Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Togo—is partially suspended.
Implementation of Trump’s order began on June 9.
Analysts said the change would affect many Africans who had legitimate reasons to live, work, and study in America, and would prevent many spectators from attending two major sporting events America is set to host, the 2026 Soccer World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.
The order excludes athletes from affected countries set to participate in the events.
In a statement reacting to his order, the African Union (AU) said it recognized the sovereign right of all nations to protect their borders and ensure the security of their citizens, but urged Trump to exercise this in a manner that is “balanced” and “evidence-based.”
The U.S. president said his move is in large part aimed at keeping radical terrorists out of America and is aimed at fulfilling his campaign promise to “make America safe again.”
South African counterterrorism expert, Jasmine Opperman, told The Epoch Times, “That’s exactly what this order is.”
“It’s evidence-based and very fair ... It’s sensible, and [Trump’s] supporters will say it’s long overdue,” Opperman said.
“If you look at the African countries targeted by Trump, most are chaotic. They’ve been drowning in conflict and violence for many years and are very poorly governed. They are teeming with terrorists, and have been for a long time.”
Opperman said Trump “had no alternative but to act.”
“With their poor systems in regard to travel controls and passport security, and their non-existent borders—plus the tendency of nationals from most of these countries to disrespect visa terms and to overstay in the United States and become illegals—it has become untenable,” Opperman said.
Kenyan immigration lawyer, Caroline Mutisya, said Trump’s restrictions aren’t surprising.
“He took similar action during his first term. He restricted travel to the United States from several Muslim majority countries,” she told The Epoch Times.
“The ban was hit with legal challenges, but the Supreme Court upheld it, so opponents will have a very hard time to overturn the latest restrictions.
“From a legal point of view, they look watertight and Trump seems well within his rights to exercise this power.”
South African immigration lawyer Craig Smith agreed that “it will be difficult this time around to block the bans with lawsuits.”
“The bans are very much a part of the Trump administration’s ‘America First’ policy, which prioritizes the safety and security of the United States,” he told The Epoch Times. “It’s difficult to argue against bans on Somalia, Sudan, and Libya, for example, as these are hotbeds of Islamic extremism with little to no state control.”
Smith said Trump’s action is “fair in many respects, and courts will see it as such” should legal challenges arise. He noted that the restrictions don’t apply to refugees and those who’ve been granted asylum by the United States.
“More importantly, the proclamation doesn’t prevent individuals from all affected countries from seeking asylum or refugee status, and so more than likely it will not be declared discriminatory,” he explained.
However, Tagbo Agbazue, director of the Pan-African Center for Policy Studies in Johannesburg, told The Epoch Times the U.S. travel restrictions “will make many Africans feel persecuted” by the Trump administration.
“On the one hand, Africa hears wonderful things from U.S. officials about trade deals and closer economic ties. On the other hand, Mr. Trump cancels all financial aid to Africa and bans millions of Africans from his country while deporting others as illegal migrants.”
The U.S. president has said he has a “sacred duty” to protect Americans.
“Some of the named countries have inadequate screening and vetting processes, hindering America’s ability to identify potential security threats before entry,” Trump wrote in his order.
“Certain countries exhibit high visa overstay rates, demonstrating a disregard for U.S. immigration laws and increasing burdens on enforcement systems.”
Some of the affected countries “lack cooperation in sharing identity and threat information, undermining effective U.S. immigration vetting,” said Trump, while others have a significant terrorist presence or state-sponsored terrorism, posing direct risks to U.S. national security.
“Several countries have historically failed to accept back their removable nationals, complicating U.S. efforts to manage immigration and public safety,” the president added.
Chad’s government led the line of African countries criticizing the U.S. travel bans as “unjustified.”
Gassim Cherif, spokesperson for President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, told The Epoch Times: “As if we needed more proof, this action by Trump is evidence of American neo-colonialism and imperialism.
“The Americans, led by Trump, think they own the world. People from Chad do not need America. We will send our young people to study in other countries.”
Itno struck back with his own ban, suspending the issuance of visas to Americans.
“Chad has no planes to offer, no billions of dollars to give, but Chad has his dignity and pride,” Itno posted on X and Facebook, taking a swipe at Trump for accepting a jet as a gift from the government of Qatar.
Agbazue said Chad’s reciprocal action, while “purely symbolic” given the very low numbers of Americans who travel to the country, “represents the strongest action taken against a Trump directive so far by an African state.”
According to the State Department, several terrorist networks are active in Chad, which forms part of the highly unstable Sahel region. These include al-Qaeda, ISIS, and its affiliate, Boko Haram.
All these groups target Americans, whom they brand “apostates” and “infidels.”
Opperman said the Islamic extremists had killed “many thousands” of people in recent years.
However, she also warned that Trump’s travel ban on Chadians could affect the fight against terrorism across the Sahel.
“The Americans have been playing a pivotal part, together with Chad, in counterterror operations in the region, but relations will no doubt be strained now, and that tension could endanger U.S.–Chad military cooperation,” said Opperman.
Commenting on Trump’s travel restrictions on Somalia, the expert said the al-Shabaab terrorist organization had made the country “ungovernable” and a “danger to Western interests and Americans everywhere.”
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) describes the group, which aims to establish an Islamic caliphate in East Africa, “the largest, wealthiest, and most lethal Al Qaeda affiliate in the world today.”
According to AFRICOM, al-Shabaab has killed hundreds of people from Kenya, East Africa’s Western-friendly economic hub.
In 2017, it killed about 500 people with a truck bomb that exploded in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.
The U.S. military frequently destroys al-Shabaab bases in drone strikes and has killed several of the organization’s leaders in recent years.
Trump wrote in his executive order that Somalia “stands apart from other countries in the degree to which its government lacks command and control of its territory, which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects.”
He wrote that “terrorists use regions of Somalia as safe havens from which they plan, facilitate, and conduct their operations. Somalia also remains a destination for individuals attempting to join terrorist groups that threaten the national security of the United States.
“The government of Somalia struggles to provide the governance needed to limit terrorists’ freedom of movement. Additionally, Somalia has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.”
Referring to Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Eritrea, Trump said many nationals from the countries tended to overstay in the United States, at a ratio of more than 70 percent in the case of Guinea.
About Eritrea, the president said his administration “questions the competence of the central authority for issuance of passports or civil documents” in the country.
“Criminal records are not available to the United States for Eritrean nationals. Eritrea has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals,” Trump said.
With regard to Libya, which has been riven by conflict since Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed in 2011, Trump said the North African country has “no competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents.”
He wrote that the “historical terrorist presence within Libya’s territory amplifies the risks posed by the entry into the United States of its nationals.”
In its statement, the African Union said it is concerned about the “potential negative impact” of Trump’s travel restrictions.
“People-to-people ties, educational exchange, commercial engagement,” and “broader diplomatic relations that have been carefully nurtured over decades” could be harmed, the AU suggested.
It called on the Trump administration “to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned.”
The AU appealed for what it called “transparent communication, and where necessary, collaborative efforts to address any underlying issues that may have informed” the U.S. leader’s travel bans.