The United States has temporarily barred lawful permanent residents from entering the country if they have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the past 21 days, expanding an Ebola‑related travel restriction that previously exempted green card holders.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the move was necessary to prevent the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola now considered a “very high” national outbreak risk in the DRC from reaching US borders.
“Applying this authority to lawful permanent residents for a limited period of time provides a balance between protecting public health and managing emergency response resources,” the CDC said.
The decision marks a rare step. Historically, green card holders have been shielded from US entry bans, including during the COVID‑19 pandemic and under former President Donald Trump’s travel restrictions. But the CDC invoked Title 42, a public‑health authority that allows the government to block entry to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola situation in the DRC and Uganda an emergency of international concern, warning that the outbreak is likely larger than reported and spreading faster than surveillance systems can track.
The temporary US ban comes as global health agencies scramble to contain the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or approved treatment currently exists.
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