A new executive order signed by United States President Donald Trump went into effect shortly after midnight Monday, banning entry for foreign nationals from 12 countries and restricting access for another seven, half of whom are Muslim-majority countries.

The full ban applies to Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Additional restrictions affect nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

The executive order mirrors Trump’s first-term travel ban in 2017, which was widely criticized as the “Muslim ban.”

According to a White House statement, the 12 countries were selected because they were “found to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States.”

The ban targets the visa application process, including applications already in progress. Lawful permanent residents, current visa holders, and members of athletic teams are exempt.

This version of the travel ban is more narrowly tailored and organized than the first-term order which leads to less public backlash, immigration attorney Mariam Masumi told NPR.

“They've learned their lessons from the first time around,” she said, affirming however that the policy will “impact families” and “people who are trying to further their careers. It's going to impact refugees who are fleeing persecution and harm.”

Trump’s initial ban in 2017 affected seven Muslim-majority countries and faced widespread protests, legal challenges and multiple restraining orders.