Global Immobility- Travel Bans, Visa Pauses and the World Cup

Today’s podcast is deeper dive into our ILS CLE event that happened on January 22, 2026 entitled, “GLOBAL IMMOBILITY: SUMMARY OF CURRENT U.S. TRAVEL BAN AND ESTA CHANGE IMPLICATIONS FOR AFFECTED FOREIGN NATIONALS”

Today, we’re tackling three developments that are colliding in a big way: U.S. travel bans, ongoing visa pauses, and the countdown to the upcoming World Cup. As millions prepare to travel for one of the world’s biggest sporting events, shifting immigration rules are creating uncertainty for travelers, businesses, and governments alike.

To help us understand the situation better we have: Avalyn Castillo Langemeier and Kathleen Campbell Walker.  

Avalyn is a partner at Foster LLP in the Houston office and is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  She has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America, along with many other organizations. Avalyn focuses her practice on business immigration and immigration compliance.  She represents employers and individuals, including in service, academia and healthcare, on employment-based immigration processes.

Kathleen is internationally recognized as a thought leader and for the breadth of her experience in immigration law and policy.  Ms. Walker is a former national president and general counsel of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) as well as a member of its Board of Governors.  She is a problem solver for complex and difficult immigration challenges in business immigration, compliance, audits, and a whole host of other issues.  And she is not only a member of the International Law Section- she is also our current Chair.