Washington: People from seven countries, including Laos, have been barred from entering the United States since January 1.
According to Thai News Agency, the ABC News website reported that citizens from seven countries, including Laos, will be barred from entering the United States starting January 1, 2026. This decision follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on December 16, 2025, which bans people from Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria from entering the United States. The order impacts both immigrants and non-immigrants and is justified by the White House as a measure for national security and public safety. However, immigrant advocacy groups have criticized the ban, arguing it primarily targets Muslim and African countries.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance further reveals that previous restrictions remain in place for citizens from 12 other countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. There are also partial travel restrictions on citizens from Venezuela and Cuba.