Somalis living in Kenya have voiced frustration over a new U.S. travel policy that restricts entry for nationals from Somalia and six other African countries. The travel ban, set to take effect on Monday, June 9, includes Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, Sudan, Libya, and Eritrea. In addition to the outright ban for these seven nations, travelers from Sierra Leone, Burundi, and Togo will now face heightened visa restrictions under the updated policy.
The decision has sparked concern across the continent. The African Union issued a statement on Thursday urging the United States to pursue “constructive dialogue” with the affected nations to avoid straining diplomatic relations. U.S. President Donald Trump defended the policy by linking it to a terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, over the weekend. However, critics point out that the suspect in the attack is an Egyptian national—Egypt is notably absent from the list of banned countries.
In a retaliatory move, Chad has already suspended the issuance of visas to U.S. citizens, citing national dignity and fairness. Somali community leaders in Kenya have called the policy discriminatory and harmful, noting that it punishes innocent travelers and disrupts family ties, business, and education opportunities.
