President Trump issued another proclamation on June 22, 2020, expanding immigration restrictions; this time targeting non-immigrant workers, including H-1B, H-2B, J, and L visa categories with limited exceptions. The proclamation also extends the immigrant visa ban, which bars certain foreign nationals seeking entry into the United States for the first time as immigrants (those entering the U.S. from abroad for the first time as U.S. permanent residents). The proclamation goes into effect as of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time as of June 24, 2020, and lasts through December 31, 2020.
The new proclamation excluded several categories of non-immigrants, including spouses and children of U.S. citizens, health care and COVID-19-related professionals, temporary labor support or services essential to the United States food supply chain, lawful permanent residents, and authorized case-by-case exceptions for individuals whose admission is deemed to be in the national interest of the United States. This proclamation also does NOT apply to individuals who are already in the United States applying for changes of status or employer transfers, or who already hold an approved visa in the relevant category.
The issued COVID-19 travel bans, consular post closures, and other international travel restrictions are still in effect and continue to severely restrict the ability of these individuals to secure their visa or travel to the United States. The administration also recently extended the temporary travel ban on land ports of entries with Canada and Mexico through 11:59 p.m. (ET) on July 21, 2020