Effective January 1, 2026, nationals of seven additional countries will be barred from entering the United States. New H-1B visa regulations will also take effect on this date.
U.S. immigration policy will tighten further in 2026.
Updated guidance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), reported by ABC News, confirms that nationals of seven additional countries are now prohibited from entering the United States.
The affected countries are Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria. President Donald Trump signed executive orders restricting travel from these nations earlier this year, with the measures taking effect on January 1.
A CBP document dated December 29 states that the restrictions apply to both immigrants and non-immigrants. Temporary visitors, including tourists and business travelers, will no longer be eligible for U.S. visas.
The White House cites national and public security as justification for these measures. Immigrant-rights advocates argue the ban disproportionately targets African and Muslim-majority countries, reviving controversies from President Trump’s first-term “Muslim ban.”
These seven countries join an existing list of nations subject to U.S. travel restrictions. The ban also applies to nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Partial restrictions remain for individuals from Venezuela and Cuba, according to official documentation.
This expansion of travel prohibitions demonstrates the Trump administration’s intent to sharply reduce migration from regions considered security risks.
New H-1B Visa Rules Take Effect
New H-1B visa regulations also took effect this week. The H-1B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with specialized skills.
Previously, visa recipients were selected mainly through a lottery system. The new rules implement a weighted selection process that prioritizes candidates expected to earn higher wages.
Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), defended the reform, stating: “The existing random selection process for H-1B registrations was being exploited and manipulated by U.S. employers seeking primarily to import foreign workers at wages lower than those paid to American workers.”
He added:
“The new weighted selection will better serve congressional intent for the H-1B program and strengthen America’s competitiveness by incentivizing U.S. employers to sponsor higher-paid and more highly skilled foreign workers.”
Critics Warn of a “Brain Drain”
The reform has faced criticism, including from some Trump supporters. Disagreement within the MAGA movement over H-1B visas highlights divisions in the president’s political base on immigration policy.
Immigration attorney Rosanna Beradi warned of the potential consequences of the changes:
“This shift will severely limit the number of candidates eligible for the H-1B program. It will make it even more difficult for international students to remain in the United States after graduation, thereby accelerating the brain drain.”
She further noted that “the new rule effectively eliminates the lottery system and prioritizes high-income applicants.”
This change excludes many recent graduates and early-career professionals.
This change excludes many recent graduates and early-career professionals.
According to USCIS, USCIS reports that the H-1B program currently allows 85,000 visas annually, a number that could decline significantly under the new requirements.ion Strategy
These measures are part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to tighten visa eligibility for many countries. Since returning to the White House, the president has issued several executive orders targeting different categories of immigrants and foreign visitors.
The expanded travel bans and H-1B visa changes reflect a concerted effort to reshape the U.S. immigration system, affecting skilled workers, refugees, and asylum seekers.
For nationals of the newly restricted countries, as well as professionals hoping to secure H-1B visas, 2026 begins with uncertainty and growing concern amid a rapidly evolving U.S. immigration landscape.
Source: ABC News
