Claim: Sierra Leone Vice President, Cabinet Members, and their families affected by Trump’s partial travel ban.
Source: Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah
Verdict: False
Research by Idrissa Bangura
An X post by lawyer Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah claimed the Vice President of Sierra Leone, cabinet members, and their families are banned from entering the United States as part of President Trump’s partial travel ban.
The post was made on June 5, 2025, a day after President Trump signed a new travel proclamation, which listed countries whose citizens were partially or fully banned from entering the US. Sierra Leone was one of the seven countries affected by a partial ban.
The post viewed 15,200 times with 29 comments, 20 reposts, and 164 likes and bookmarked 9 times said the following:
This fact-check report seeks to verify the accuracy of the claim.
Fact-Check
According to a statement on the White House website, only Sierra Leonean nationals with B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas are suspended from entering the US, with the reason being the overstaying of visas under the affected categories.
“According to the Overstay Report, Sierra Leone had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 15.43 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent. Sierra Leone has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.”
“The entry into the United States of nationals of Sierra Leone as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J is hereby suspended,” the White House release stated.
This is to say, only Business visits, Tourist/ Visitors, Business and Tourist, academic students, vocational or technical students and exchange visitors visas are partially banned.
The statement did not mention that the Vice President or Cabinet ministers fall within the diplomatic bracket. Officials in this category according to the US Department of State guidelines are required to obtain A-1, A-2 visas to enable them enter the US.
Other countries affected by a partial ban include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Those affected by a permanent ban are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Verdict
Therefore the claim that Sierra Leone Vice President and cabinet ministers are affected by the partial travel ban is rated False.
Note: Idrissa Bangura is a member of the 2025 cohort of the FactSpace West Africa volunteerism project in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia and The Gambia.
