FCC plans vote to block U.S. sales of blacklisted tech devices

The Federal Communications Commission plans a vote next month to block U.S. sales of devices containing components from blacklisted companies, widening rules that now stop the companies themselves but not every product that uses their chips. On June 30, the FCC said the change is meant to close a loophole that has left some consumer electronics on U.S. shelves even when parts inside them come from firms already barred on national-security grounds.

Huawei and its chip arm HiSilicon are the clearest example. Under the current framework, devices containing chips designed by those units can still reach the U.S. market, even though Huawei itself is already restricted. The FCC’s proposal would move the line from the company level to the device level, so products built elsewhere could be blocked if they include components regulators deem compromised or unacceptable. That would reach deeper into the supply chain for familiar categories such as routers, drones and other connected electronics, where a single chip or transmitter can be embedded inside a far larger product.

The commission moved in this direction in October 2025. On Oct. 7, Chairman Brendan Carr said the FCC would vote on an order to close two loopholes, one involving previously authorized devices and another involving covered component parts inside otherwise authorized devices. On Oct. 28, the FCC adopted a second report and order that would create a process to prohibit the importation, marketing and sale of previously authorized devices later placed on the Covered List, and would close the modular transmitter loophole so insecure Huawei, Hikvision or other Covered List modular transmitters could not be included inside otherwise lawful devices.

The FCC has created a Council on National Security, is carrying out Operation Clean Carts with ecommerce platforms to remove millions of listings of prohibited devices, and is cracking down on bad labs that test gear for U.S. approval while owned or controlled by foreign adversary governments. On June 15, 2026, it removed toy drones and toy drones containing foreign-produced components after a Department of War finding, while on Dec. 22, 2025, it added all foreign-produced uncrewed aircraft systems and critical components. If the new vote passes, manufacturers and retailers would have to trace chips and subsystems before products reach American buyers.