President Trump has signed a revised Executive Order on “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.” It goes into effect March 16. The ban fails to address the original version’s flaws and its thinly veiled scapegoating of Muslims and refugees.
Among other things, the revised EO:
- Suspends the refugee program for 120 days though refugees already vetted and in transit could continue their journey to safety.
- Suspends immigrant and nonimmigrant entry for people from six predominantly Muslim countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) for a minimum of 90 days while the government undertakes a review.
- Requires in-person interviews for more nonimmigrant visa applicants.
These policies will do little to improve national security and will instead continue to undermine America’s position in the world as a beacon of liberty and a place of refuge. Across the nation, these policies will slow our economy, drive away scientists and researchers, and create fear in communities.
This ban is unjust despite being rewritten in an attempt to sidestep the wave of litigation that confronted the first ill-thought and xenophobic ban. Some of the changes from the prior version of the EO include:
- Iraq is not covered by the new entry ban.
- Permanent residents are not covered by the new entry ban.
- Persons seeking to enter the U.S. with advance parole are not covered by the new entry ban.
- Dual nationals of the 6 restricted countries are not covered by the entry ban when traveling on a passport issued by a non-restricted country.
- Removal of the prioritization of refugee claims from members of “persecuted religious minority groups,” which some interpreted as prioritizing Christian refugee claims.
See also the DHS Fact Sheet and Q&A on the revised Executive Order.
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