January 27, 2017 Executive Order by President Trump
On January 27, 2017, President Trump signed executive order, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.” The salient points are as follows:
- Ban on Entry of Nationals of Predominantly Muslim Countries Muslim-Majority Countries: The order bans immigrant and nonimmigrant entries, for at least 90 days, for nationals of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
- Ban on Syrian Refugees: The order halts the processing and admission of Syrian refugees indefinitely, until the President determines that sufficient changes have been made to ensure that the admission of Syrian refugees is in the national interest.
- Suspension of U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP): The order suspends the USRAP for 120 days. Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis if it is in the national interest, the person would not pose a risk, and the person is a religious minority facing religious persecution, or the admission of the person is required to conform U.S. conduct to an international agreement, or when a person is already in transit and denying admission would cause hardship.
- Requires In-Person Interviews for Most Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants: 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.
- Screening of all Immigration Benefits: 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.”
- Biometric-Entry Exit: The order directs agencies to expedite the completion and implementation of a biometric entry-exit system and includes reporting requirements.
REPRESENTING CLIENTS IN ALL 50 STATES AND OUTLYING TERRITORIES OF THE UNITED STATES
Immigration and Nationality Law