Trump imposes travel ban on 12 countries: Unbiased Updates, June 5, 2025
President Donald Trump revives a controversial travel ban, targeting a dozen mostly Muslim nations. Why now, and who’s pushing back?
Plus, a judge has placed a hold on the deportation of the family of the Colorado firebombing suspect. What the judge ruled and what comes next.
Lastly, Trump examines former President Joe Biden’s alleged use of an autopen, while Biden dismisses this as absurd. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, June 5, 2025.
Trump announces travel ban on 12 countries, restrictions on 7 more
President Donald Trump has revived a controversial policy from his first term: banning travel from 12 countries and adding restrictions on seven others. The ban takes effect on Monday, June 9, and applies to Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Most of these countries were included in the original 2017 travel ban.
Separate restrictions will apply to visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
In a video posted on social media, Trump linked the policy to last weekend’s firebomb attack in Colorado.
“The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come here as temporary visitors and overstay their visas. We don’t want ’em,” Trump said.
However, the suspect in the Boulder attack hails from Egypt, a country not included on the list. Still, the Department of Homeland Security reported that he had exceeded the duration of his tourist visa and shouted “Free Palestine” prior to initiating the attack.
Democrats have criticized the move. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., commented in a statement, “This discriminatory policy — which limits legal immigration — not only flies in the face of what our country is supposed to stand for, it will be harmful to our economy and our communities that rely on the contributions of people who come to America from this wide range of countries.”
Another Democrat, Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia, said, “Trump’s travel bans have always betrayed the ideals and values that inspired America’s founders.”
He continued, “Trump’s use of prejudice and bigotry to bar people from entering the U.S. does not make us safer, it just divides us and weakens our global leadership.”
Judge blocks Trump admin from deporting Colorado fire attack suspect’s family
A federal judge in Colorado has temporarily blocked the deportation of the Boulder attack suspect’s wife and five children, all Egyptian citizens. Federal agents took the family of Mohamed Sabry Soliman into custody on Tuesday, June 3.
However, the judge granted a temporary hold on their deportation and set a hearing for June 13. So far, authorities have not charged any of Soliman’s family.
Court documents said he told authorities they knew nothing about his plan to attack a group of Jewish people protesting at an outdoor mall in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Soliman himself faces federal hate crime charges and state charges of attempted murder.
Judge orders Trump admin to provide due process to migrants deported under Alien Enemies Act
In another ruling, a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to provide due process to hundreds of migrants sent to a maximum-security terrorism facility in El Salvador.
Under the order, migrants removed on March 15 and 16 under the Alien Enemies Act must now be given a chance to contest their detention or deportation. However, that order does not cover individuals deported for other reasons, including Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man removed around the same time.
In Abrego Garcia’s case, a judge has allowed his lawyers to seek sanctions against the government for failing to turn over records explaining his deportation, despite a 2019 court order that had previously blocked it. The Trump administration maintains he’s associated with the gang MS-13, has committed domestic abuse and is not coming back.
Meanwhile, another deported migrant, a Guatemalan man known only as OCG, has now been returned to the U.S. after a judge ruled that his due process was violated. He was sent to Mexico in February, despite a judge granting him protection just two days earlier.
Court records indicate OCG was held for ransom and raped while traveling through Mexico before reaching the U.S.
Deadly Russian strikes hit Ukrainian cities hours after Putin-Trump call
Overnight drone strikes in Ukraine left dozens wounded, including at least five dead, among them a one-year-old child. The attack on the city of Pryluky came just hours after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone.
Trump said Putin “very strongly” warned of retaliation after Ukrainian drones hit Russian airfields last weekend.
Hours after this latest attack, the Kremlin carried out additional strikes.
In Kharkiv, drones slammed into apartment buildings as Ukrainian families slept. The attacks injured at least 17 people, including a child, a pregnant woman and a 93-year-old.
Critics have questioned Trump’s role, saying his tone on the call may have given Putin a “green light” for the attacks. The American president said it was a good hour-and-fifteen-minute conversation, but not a conversation that would lead to immediate peace.
Trump orders investigation into Biden’s use of autopen
Trump announced that he will initiate a comprehensive investigation into former President Joe Biden, this time regarding the use of an autopen and allegations of a so-called cognitive cover-up.
The president signed a memo Wednesday, June 4, directing the White House counsel and Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Biden’s aides unconstitutionally acted on his behalf, signing off on major decisions while allegedly hiding signs of decline. That includes reviewing pardons, executive orders and even proclamations.
An autopen is a mechanical device that replicates a person’s signature. It’s something used by past presidents, including Trump.
Biden fired back Wednesday night, saying, “Let me be clear. I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”
The former president refers to Trump’s move as a distraction, just as his party advocates for cuts to programs like Medicaid.
While Trump continues to mention the autopen on his Truth Social, he wrote in all caps on Wednesday, “The autopen is the biggest political scandal in American history.”
Oilers take game one in Stanley Cup Final
The Stanley Cup Final has begun, featuring a rematch from the previous year. The Florida Panthers aim to secure consecutive championships, while the Edmonton Oilers look to pay back last year’s painful loss to the Panthers.
In the first game last night in Edmonton, Florida led by two goals in the second period, with a score of 3-1.
Then Edmonton chipped away, eventually tying the game 3-3 on a goal by Mattias Ekholm in the third period.
The game went to overtime, and late in the extra period, the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl scored on the power play. Edmonton wins Game 1 4-3 in overtime. Game 2 is Friday night.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
