The news came as a shock on 4 June 2025 when U.S. President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order banning nationals of twelve countries – including seven African States – from entering the United States of America. The countries affected are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haïti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
According to the White House, Chad was specifically targeted due to its “high overstay rate for 2022 and 2023,” which was described as “unacceptable, indicating a blatant disregard for U.S. immigration laws.”
Chad had already been placed on a similar list in 2017 under one of President Trump’s earlier anti-immigrant Executive Orders, due to alleged security shortcomings and insufficient cooperation with Washington. That ban was eventually lifted in April 2018.
However, on 25 March 2025, the U.S. suspended visa issuance to Chadian nationals for a period of 90 days.
In response to President Donald Trump’s new decision, the authorities in N’Djamena announced a reciprocal measure. “Chad has neither planes, nor billions of dollars, but Chad has its dignity and pride,” wrote President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno on his official Facebook page.
But behind these political statements and assertions of sovereignty, the lives of individuals, families and young people are being upended. The impact is deeply human – complex, personal, and far-reaching.
“I was awarded a scholarship, but now everything is in jeopardy”
Amina Mahamat, 23, could not hide her emotions. A graduate in Economics from N’Djamena, she was awaiting a final interview to secure a scholarship for a specialisation programme in Development Policy at an American university. “My visa application process was in its final stage, when everything fell apart,” she confides, her voice trembling. “It wasn’t just a trip. It was my future – it was my dream.”
Like Amina, several young Chadians have seen their momentum brutally cut short. Many had invested all their savings – some even going into debt – to begin the visa application process or attend preparatory courses. Now, some find themselves at a dead end.
Professor Ahmat Mahamat Hassan, a jurist and political analyst, highlights the injustice of the measure: “Chadian citizens are among the worst affected. Chad is not a major destination for Americans, but many Chadians go to the United States for advanced studies or training.” This decision seems to have shut down a crucial path to openness and opportunities.
In Washington, the U.S. administration has justified the measure on security grounds. In a video posted on X, President Donald Trump cited a recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, in which an undocumented Egyptian national injured 12 people during a march in support of Israeli hostages. “This terrorist attack highlights the extreme danger posed to our country by foreign nationals who have not been properly vetted,” he stated. He also referenced individuals “overstaying their visas,” suggesting a broader failure to control migratory flows.
In this context, therefore, the United States places part of the blame on the Chadian authorities for the high visa overstay rate. On 11 June, the Chadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an official statement acknowledging that this factor had significantly influenced the U.S. decision. “In absolute terms, the total number of people concerned numbers 454, all visa types combined, according to data for the 2022–23 period,” the statement noted.
However, the Ministry emphasized that measures are being taken to regularize the issuance of official documents and to facilitate future diplomatic engagement.
The statement also announced the creation of a joint working group to explore ways of mitigating the impact of the decision. Both countries have agreed that Visas issued before 9 June – the date the travel ban takes effect – will remain valid; Civil servants on official missions will still be permitted to travel; Dual nationals will be allowed to enter Chad under specific conditions.
“The door has been shut in our faces.”
Ngarassoum Edgard, a teacher from N’Djamena, had saved for three years to give his son the opportunity to study in the United States. “He secured a three-month internship in a laboratory. We had prepared everything. And now, the door has been slammed in our faces. How can we explain to them that it’s not their fault?”
Professor Ahmat Mahamat Hassan emphasizes the need for Chad to better manage the issuance of official documents: “We ourselves must be more vigilant as regards the issuing of our documents. When Chadian passports fall into the wrong hands, the entire community suffers.”
Trapped, but not defeated – there’s still hope for our youth
At a time when educational and professional exchanges between the United States and several countries in the Global South are being called into question, many young people feel unfairly targeted. Yet it is they who will one day be called to build the essential bridges between nations.
In an official statement, the African Union Commission urged the United States to “adopt a more consultative approach” and expressed concern over the potential negative impact of such measures on interpersonal connections, educational and commercial exchanges, and, more broadly, the diplomatic relations that have been carefully cultivated over decades.
Despite her disappointment, Amina Mahamat refuses to abandon her ambitions. “If not the United States, then somewhere else. But one day, I’ll definitely make a contribution to my country. They will not succeed in stealing our dreams.”
