Chad halts US visas in revenge for Trump travel ban

Chad has announced it will suspend all visas for US citizens. This decision is based on "reciprocity." Chad learned it is among the countries banned from traveling to the US.

President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno expressed Chad's pride in a Facebook post. He stated, "Chad has neither planes nor billions, but we have dignity."

The travel ban affects several African nations. Seven of the twelve banned countries are in Africa. The ban will take effect on Monday.

The order prohibits entry to people from Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. It also includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Haiti, Iran, and Yemen.

Additionally, there are restrictions for nationals from Burundi, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cuba, Laos, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. They cannot travel to the US on certain visas.

President Trump stated that the US would not allow harmful individuals into the country. He mentioned that the list could change with "material improvements" or new threats.

The White House called these measures "common-sense restrictions" to protect Americans. Somalia quickly responded by pledging cooperation with the US on security issues.

Somali ambassador Dahir Hassan Abdi emphasized his country's valued relationship with America. Chad expressed its dismay over the ban.

Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul said they were surprised by this announcement. He criticized the terrorism-related reasons as disregarding Chad's commitment to fighting terrorism.

The African Union expressed concern about potential negative impacts of these measures. They urged the US to adopt a more consultative approach with affected countries.

Eritreans have voiced alarm over the travel ban as well. One man told BBC Tigrinya that they suffer under both their regime and Trump's policies.

Eritrea is a one-party state led by President Isaias Afwerki since 1993. Young Eritreans face compulsory military service and many flee seeking refuge elsewhere.

An Eritrean woman worried about reuniting with her husband in the US. She said they had waited long and followed legal processes but now felt left in limbo.

In a video on Truth Social, Trump cited a recent terror attack in Boulder as evidence of dangers posed by unvetted foreign nationals. However, the suspect was Egyptian; Egypt is not on the banned list.

The White House explained that countries like Libya and Somalia lack competent authorities for issuing passports or conducting screenings due to ongoing civil wars.

They also noted a persistent terrorist threat from Somalia and historical terrorism in Libya. Other affected African nations have high rates of visa overstays ranging from 15% in Togo to 70% for some Equatorial Guinean visas.