Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States

2017-02-01Executive Order 13769
Signed by: Donald Trump
Share:

Headline: Suspends Entry for Certain Foreign Nationals and Pauses Refugees

What it does: Agencies must review and restrict visa and refugee admissions, implement uniform screening and biometric tracking, suspend certain visa programs, and report progress to the President.

Real World Impact:
  • Temporarily bars many travelers from certain countries for at least 90 days.
  • Halts refugee admissions for 120 days and suspends Syrian refugee entry until changes are made.
  • Requires more in-person interviews and checks, likely increasing visa processing time.
Topics: immigration policy, refugee admissions, border security, visa screening, national security

Summary

This order temporarily stops entry of certain foreign nationals for 90 days while the government reviews what information is needed to vet visa applicants. It pauses the refugee resettlement program for 120 days, suspends Syrian refugee admissions until further notice, and suspends entry of more than 50,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017.

Agencies that handle visas and refugees must adopt uniform screening rules, speed up a biometric entry-exit system, reinstate in-person visa interviews, and publish terrorism-related data regularly to protect public safety.

Ask about this order

Ask questions about this executive order and its implications.

What agencies are affected by this order?

How does this order change existing policy?

What are the practical implications of this order?

Related Executive Orders