Federal travel ban update: New Trump-ordered restrictions now in effect
ABC7 Chicago••general
Key Points:
- Starting January 1, individuals from seven countries—Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria—will be barred from traveling to the U.S., affecting both immigrants and nonimmigrants, as per updated CBP guidance.
- The travel ban continues existing restrictions on several other countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen, with partial restrictions on Venezuela and Cuba, citing national security and public safety concerns.
- New regulations on the H-1B visa program, effective this week, replace the random lottery system with a weighted selection favoring higher-wage, higher-skilled foreign workers to prioritize American competitiveness and reduce wage undercutting.
- Immigration advocates warn the H
