Trump Issues New Travel Ban Executive Order

President Trump issued a new Executive Order, "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States" on March 6, 2017. The previous Executive Order, or travel ban, with the same name will be revoked and replaced on March 16, 2017.

What does the order do?

The order is meant to establish new standards to prevent entry of foreign terrorists into the country. In order to fully analyze the current system, the order imposes a 90-day suspension of entry into the U.S. for nationals from certain countries. These countries are the ones designated by President Obama and Congress as possibly posing national security risks. Trump asserts that the order ensures a more rigorous vetting process.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said they will faithfully execute the Executive Order and other immigration laws, and will treat all encountered humanely and with respect and professionalism.

What happens now?

The designated countries include Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. For the next 90 days, nationals from those countries who are outside of the U.S. when the Executive Order goes into effect, do not have a valid visa, and who did not have a valid visa when the previous Order went into effect on January 27, 2017, will not be allowed entry into the U.S.

Iraqi citizens are not affected by this Order as a result of increased information sharing between the two governments.

The Executive Order does NOT apply to:

• Lawful Permanent Residents of the U.S.;
• Foreign nationals admitted after the effective date;
• Dual nationals traveling on a passport issued by a country not on the designated countries list; and
• Individuals granted refugee or asylum prior to the effective date.

The Refugee Admissions Program will also be temporarily suspended for the next 120 days. When the program resumes, admissions will not exceed 50,000 for the fiscal year 2017.

Under both program suspensions, the Secretary of State and the Department of Homeland Security maintains the discretion to admit individuals on a case-by-case basis if they decide the entry is in the national interest. Read more information from DHS here.

The Executive Order also calls for greater transparency. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security have been directed to issue regular reports regarding visas and adjustments of immigration status. These reports will be written in non-technical language for broad public consumption.