A Travel Ban

President Trump signed a travel ban for citizens of 12 countries, mostly in the Middle East and Africa. Those countries are: Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. He also imposed visa restrictions on other countries. See the full list here.

• When it starts: The ban goes into effect on Monday.

• Will it last? A travel ban in Trump’s first term led to chaos and court battles. This time, the ban appears more likely to withstand legal challenges: “They seem to have learned some lessons,” Stephen Vladeck, a professor at Georgetown, said of the administration. “But a lot will depend upon how it’s actually enforced.”

• The rationale: In announcing the ban, Trump claimed foreigners who were not properly vetted posed a risk. “We don’t want them,” he said. He cited the recent arrest of an Egyptian man who overstayed a tourist visa and was charged with attacking Jewish protesters in Colorado. (The restrictions don’t cover Egypt.)

There’s also a list of exceptions, including green card holders, dual citizens, athletes traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup or the Olympics, and others. See who’s exempted.

More immigration news

Harvard: Trump said he would prevent Harvard’s international students from entering the country. The university said that was illegal. Read more about their fight here.

Asylum claims: For people in war-torn nations like Afghanistan and Myanmar, the travel ban dims hopes for sanctuary.

Deportations: The administration obeyed a judge’s order and brought back a Guatemalan man whom it wrongly deported to Mexico.

A Biden investigation