Summary of Executive Order on Immigration
Last Updated January 30, 2017
The stated purpose of the order is to improve national security policy and public safety measures by “direct[ing] executive departments and agencies to deploy all lawful means to secure the Nation’s southern border, to prevent further illegal immigration into the United States and to repatriate illegal aliens swiftly, consistently and humanely.”
The order temporarily suspends all immigration for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen) for 90 days.
- The order also calls for Homeland Security and State department officials, along with the director of national intelligence, to review what information the government needs to fully vet would-be visitors and come up with a list of countries that don’t provide it.
- The order says the government will give countries 60 days to start providing the information or citizens from those countries will be barred from traveling to the United States.
Green card holders / dual citizens will not be barred from re-entering the U.S.
- Homeland Security Secretary issued a statement declaring that, a serious threat to public safety aside, citizens of the seven target countries who hold permanent U.S. residency “green cards” will not be barred from re-entering the U.S., as officials had previously said.
- Officials also clarified that dual citizens who are nationals of one of the seven target countries and a country that’s not on the list will be subject to additional security screenings, but will probably be allowed through.
Trump ordered a four-month suspension of America’s refugee program.
- Trump’s order directed officials to review the refugee application and approval process to find any other security measures that can be added to prevent people who pose a threat from using the refugee program.
- Trump’s order also cut the number of refugees the United States plans to accept this budget year by more than half, to 50,000 people from around the world.
- The temporary halt to refugee admissions does include exceptions for people claiming religious persecution, so long as their religion is a minority faith in their country.
The State Department has been directed to stop issuing visas to Syrian nationals and halts the processing of Syrian refugees.
- That will remain in effect until Trump determines that sufficient security changes have been made to ensure that the admission of Syrian refugees is in the national interest
The order suspends the Visa Interview Waiver Program (VIWP).
- Requiring all nonimmigrant visa applicants to attend an interview unless an interview is not required by statute.
The order directs federal agencies to develop screening standards and procedures for all immigration benefits to identify fraud and detect whether a person intends to do harm.
- Agencies are directed to create a process to evaluate the person’s “likelihood of becoming a positively contributing member of society” and “ability to make contributions to the national interest.”