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A look at Trump's travel ban timeline throughout his first presidency

Anthony Robledo and Richard Wolf, USA TODAY
4 min read

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning or restricting travel of foreign nationals from several countries , reminiscent of his first administration when he banned travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries in 2017.

The ban, which goes into effect on June 9 , affects Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

The entry of people from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, will be partially restricted. The travel restrictions were first reported by CBS News.

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"We will not allow people to enter our country who wish to do us harm," Trump said in a video posted on X , formerly Twitter. He said the list could be revised and new countries could be added.

Since returning to the White House for his second term, the president has vowed to replicate the impact of his original travel bans, which stirred several legal battles with courts that blocked the mandate. Here's a timeline of what ensued then.

See events of Trump's first travel ban

Jan. 27, 2017: Trump issues an executive order  entitled "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States." It suspends travel from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days, blocks refugees for 120 days, and suspends travel from Syria indefinitely.

Jan. 28:  Chaos reigns at U.S. airports as Department of Homeland Security agents block travelers from entering the country, leading to protests and legal action.

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Feb. 3: Federal District Court Judge James Robart in Seattle issues a  nationwide restraining order  that blocks the travel ban from being implemented.

New York Yemeni Americans demonstrate in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban and recent denials of visa applications in Foley Square in lower Manhattan in New York City, New York on Dec. 27, 2017.
New York Yemeni Americans demonstrate in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's travel ban and recent denials of visa applications in Foley Square in lower Manhattan in New York City, New York on Dec. 27, 2017.

Feb. 9:TheU.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, based in San Francisco,  refuses to reinstate the ban , ruling that it violates due process rights without a sufficient national security justification.

March 6: Trump issues a  revised travel ban  targeting only six countries and exempting visa- and green card-holders in an effort to reverse his fortunes in the courts.

March 15: Federal District Judge Derrick Watson  in Hawaii issues a nationwide halt to the revised travel ban on immigrants and refugees.

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March 16: Federal District Judge Theodore Chuang  in Maryland blocks part of the travel ban that applies to travelers from six predominantly Muslim nations.

May 25:TheU.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit , based in Richmond, upholds the ruling from Maryland on the basis of religious discrimination against Muslims.

A man holds a sign reading "NYC hearts Muslims" as two other people hold signs reading "Back the Ban" and "Keep Syrians Out" at protests against and for U.S. President Donald Trump's limited travel ban in New York City on June 29, 2017.
A man holds a sign reading "NYC hearts Muslims" as two other people hold signs reading "Back the Ban" and "Keep Syrians Out" at protests against and for U.S. President Donald Trump's limited travel ban in New York City on June 29, 2017.

June 12: The 9th Circuit appeals court upholds the ruling from Hawaii, saying the ban discriminates based on nationality. But it clears the way for a review of screening practices.

June 26:  The Supreme Court upholds  parts of the ban and schedules oral arguments for October. In the meantime, travelers in a wide range of visa categories must prove their connection to a U.S. organization or individual in order to avoid the ban.

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Sept. 24:Trump issues his third version of the ban  following what the administration says was a deep dive into international vetting procedures. Included indefinitely: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Chad, North Korea and Venezuela. Chad was recently dropped from the list.

Oct. 17:Judge Watson in Hawaii blocks the third version nationwide, writing that it "suffers from precisely the same maladies as its predecessor" and "plainly discriminates based on nationality."

Oct. 18:Judge Chuang in Maryland says much the same thing, ruling that it still constitutes a "Muslim ban" that violates the Constitution's protections against religious discrimination.

International passengers arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia on June 26, 2017.
International passengers arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia on June 26, 2017.

Dec. 4:The Supreme Court rules that the ban can take full effect while legal challenges continue in federal appeals courts. The justices urge those courts to render decisions "with appropriate dispatch."

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Dec. 22:A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit appeals court rules against the ban in part, contending that Trump exceeded his authority under federal law.

Jan. 19, 2018:The Supreme Court agrees to hear the Justice Department's appeal of the 9th Circuit ruling, leading to oral arguments.

Feb. 15:The full 4th Circuit appeals court again declares the ban unconstitutional based on its discrimination against Muslims.

April 25:  The Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the appeal of the 9th Circuit ruling. Conservative justices appear sympathetic to the administration's stance .

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June 26: The Supreme Court reverses the 9th Circuit's ruling , handing a major victory to Trump.

June 31, 2020:Trump adds visa restrictions to six more countries including Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan and Tanzania. The White House said those nations failed to "comply with basic national security" requirements or to conduct "proper identity management" procedures.

USA TODAY's Joey Garrison and Reuters contributed to the reporting of this story

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's travel ban is back: See timeline of what happened last time

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