Updated guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicates that, starting Thursday, nationals of seven countries will no longer be able to travel to the United States. The guidance was obtained by the media.
The countries named in the executive orders are Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria. The restrictions, signed earlier this year, are scheduled to begin on Jan. 1.
The guidance says the policy covers both immigrant and non-immigrant travel, citing a document dated Dec. 29.
Existing bans remain, with partial limits for Venezuela and Cuba
The updated guidance says the broader travel ban framework continues to restrict entry for people from Afghanistan; Burma (Myanmar); Chad; the Republic of the Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Haiti; Iran; Libya; Somalia; Sudan; Yemen.
It also notes partial travel restrictions affecting people from Venezuela and Cuba.
The White House says the measures are tied to national security and public safety. Immigrant advocates argue the restrictions disproportionately affect African and Muslim countries.
H-1B changes rollout as administration shifts selection rules
The new travel restrictions are taking effect as the administration implements updated rules for the H-1B visa program.
The H-1B program allows employers to hire noncitizens with specialized skills or trades. According to the guidance, the process had operated in a more random way, but the changes that took effect Monday introduce a weighted approach designed to favor higher-wage selections.
A USCIS spokesperson, Matthew Tragesser, said the prior process was “exploited and abused” by employers seeking to hire foreign workers at lower wages. He said the revised system is meant to encourage petitions for “higher-paid, higher-skilled” workers and better align with Congress’s intent for the program.
Attorney warns the new model could narrow who qualifies
Immigration attorney Rosanna Beradi said the revised selection method could shrink the pool of eligible applicants.
She said the change will “severely limit” who qualifies and could make it harder for international students to stay in the U.S. after graduating, adding that the new rule prioritizes “high wage earners.”
The guidance also notes there are 85,000 total H-1B visa applications, according to USCIS, as the administration continues tightening visa and entry policies.
Sources:
ABC News / New Trump-ordered immigration restrictions go into effect Jan.
USCIS / DHS Changes Process for Awarding H-1B Work Visas to Better Protect American Workers
