EXECUTIVE ORDER
PROTECTING THE NATION FROM FOREIGN TERRORIST ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES
By the
authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States of America, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA),
8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, and
to protect the Nation from terrorist activities by foreign nationals admitted
to the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1.
Policy and Purpose. (a) It is the policy of the United
States to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, including those
committed by foreign nationals. The screening and vetting protocols and
procedures associated with the visa-issuance process and the United States
Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) play a crucial role in detecting foreign
nationals who may commit, aid, or support acts of terrorism and in preventing
those individuals from entering the United States. It is therefore the
policy of the United States to improve the screening and vetting protocols and
procedures associated with the visa-issuance process and the USRAP.
(b) On
January 27, 2017, to implement this policy, I issued Executive Order 13769
(Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States).
(i) Among other
actions, Executive Order 13769 suspended for 90 days the entry of certain
aliens from seven countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria,
and Yemen. These are countries that had already been identified as
presenting heightened concerns about terrorism and travel to the United States.
Specifically, the suspension applied to countries referred to in, or
designated under, section 217(a)(12) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1187(a)(12), in
which Congress restricted use of the Visa Waiver Program for nationals of, and
aliens recently present in, (A) Iraq or Syria, (B) any country designated by
the Secretary of State as a state sponsor of terrorism (currently Iran, Syria,
and Sudan), and (C) any other country designated as a country of
concern by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary
of State and the Director of National Intelligence. In 2016, the
Secretary of Homeland Security designated Libya, Somalia, and Yemen as
additional countries of concern for travel purposes, based on consideration of
three statutory factors related to terrorism and national security:
"(I) whether the presence of an alien in the country or area
increases the likelihood that the alien is a credible threat to the national
security of the United States; (II) whether a foreign terrorist organization
has a significant presence in the country or area; and (III) whether the
country or area is a safe haven for terrorists." 8 U.S.C.
1187(a)(12)(D)(ii). Additionally, Members of Congress have
expressed concerns about screening and vetting procedures following recent
terrorist attacks in this country and in Europe.
(ii) In ordering the
temporary suspension of entry described in subsection (b)(i) of this section, I
exercised my authority under Article II of the Constitution and under section
212(f) of the INA, which provides in relevant part: "Whenever the
President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens
into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the
United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem
necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants
or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem
to be appropriate." 8 U.S.C. 1182(f). Under these
authorities, I determined that, for a brief period of 90 days, while existing
screening and vetting procedures were under review, the entry into the United
States of certain aliens from the seven identified countries -- each afflicted
by terrorism in a manner that compromised the ability of the United States
to rely on normal decision-making procedures about travel to the United States
-- would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.
Nonetheless, I permitted the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland
Security to grant case-by-case waivers when they determined that it was in the
national interest to do so.
(iii) Executive Order 13769 also
suspended the USRAP for 120 days. Terrorist groups have sought to
infiltrate several nations through refugee programs. Accordingly, I
temporarily suspended the USRAP pending a review of our procedures for
screening and vetting refugees. Nonetheless, I permitted the Secretary
of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly grant
case-by-case waivers when they determined that it was in the national interest
to do so.
(iv) Executive Order 13769
did not provide a basis for discriminating for or against members of any
particular religion. While that order allowed for prioritization of
refugee claims from members of persecuted religious minority groups, that
priority applied to refugees from every nation, including those in which Islam
is a minority religion, and it applied to minority sects within a
religion. That order was not motivated by animus toward any religion, but
was instead intended to protect the ability of religious minorities -- whoever
they are and wherever they reside -- to avail themselves of the USRAP in light
of their particular challenges and circumstances.
(c) The
implementation of Executive Order 13769 has been delayed by litigation.
Most significantly, enforcement of critical provisions of that order has been
temporarily halted by court orders that apply nationwide and extend even
to foreign nationals with no prior or substantial connection to the
United States. On February 9, 2017, the United States Court
of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit declined to stay or narrow one such order
pending the outcome of further judicial proceedings, while noting that the
"political branches are far better equipped to make appropriate
distinctions" about who should be covered by a suspension of entry or of
refugee admissions.
(d)
Nationals from the countries previously identified under section 217(a)(12) of
the INA warrant additional scrutiny in connection with our immigration policies
because the conditions in these countries present heightened threats.
Each of these countries is a state sponsor of terrorism, has been significantly
compromised by terrorist organizations, or contains active conflict zones.
Any of these circumstances diminishes the foreign government's willingness or
ability to share or validate important information about individuals seeking to
travel to the United States. Moreover, the significant presence in each
of these countries of terrorist organizations, their members, and others
exposed to those organizations increases the chance that conditions will be
exploited to enable terrorist operatives or sympathizers to travel to the
United States. Finally, once foreign nationals from these countries are
admitted to the United States, it is often difficult to remove them, because
many of these countries typically delay issuing, or refuse to issue, travel
documents.
(e) The
following are brief descriptions, taken in part from the Department of State's
Country Reports on Terrorism 2015 (June 2016), of some of the conditions in six
of the previously designated countries that demonstrate why their nationals
continue to present heightened risks to the security of the United States:
(i) Iran. Iran
has been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984 and continues to
support various terrorist groups, including Hizballah, Hamas, and terrorist
groups in Iraq. Iran has also been linked to support for al-Qa'ida and
has permitted al-Qa'ida to transport funds and fighters through Iran to Syria
and South Asia. Iran does not cooperate with the United States in
counterterrorism efforts.
(ii) Libya. Libya is
an active combat zone, with hostilities between the internationally recognized
government and its rivals. In many parts of the country, security and law
enforcement functions are provided by armed militias rather than state
institutions. Violent extremist groups, including the Islamic State
of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), have exploited these conditions to expand their
presence in the country. The Libyan government provides some
cooperation with the United States' counterterrorism efforts, but it is unable
to secure thousands of miles of its land and maritime borders, enabling the
illicit flow of weapons, migrants, and foreign terrorist fighters. The
United States Embassy in Libya suspended its operations in 2014.
(iii) Somalia. Portions of
Somalia have been terrorist safe havens. Al-Shabaab, an
al-Qa'ida-affiliated terrorist group, has operated in the country for years and
continues to plan and mount operations within Somalia and in neighboring
countries. Somalia has porous borders, and most countries do not
recognize Somali identity documents. The Somali government cooperates
with the United States in some counterterrorism operations but does
not have the capacity to sustain military pressure on or to investigate
suspected terrorists.
(iv) Sudan. Sudan
has been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1993 because of its
support for international terrorist groups, including Hizballah and
Hamas. Historically, Sudan provided safe havens for al-Qa'ida and other
terrorist groups to meet and train. Although Sudan's support to al-Qa'ida
has ceased and it provides some cooperation with the United States'
counterterrorism efforts, elements of core al-Qa'ida and ISIS-linked terrorist
groups remain active in the country.
(v) Syria.
Syria has been designated as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979. The
Syrian government is engaged in an ongoing military conflict against ISIS and
others for control of portions of the country. At the same time, Syria
continues to support other terrorist groups. It has allowed or encouraged
extremists to pass through its territory to enter Iraq. ISIS continues to
attract foreign fighters to Syria and to use its base in Syria to plot or
encourage attacks around the globe, including in the United States. The
United States Embassy in Syria suspended its operations in 2012. Syria
does not cooperate with the United States' counterterrorism efforts.
(vi) Yemen. Yemen is
the site of an ongoing conflict between the incumbent government and the
Houthi-led opposition. Both ISIS and a second group, al-Qa'ida in the
Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), have exploited this conflict to expand their presence
in Yemen and to carry out hundreds of attacks. Weapons and other
materials smuggled across Yemen's porous borders are used to finance AQAP and
other terrorist activities. In 2015, the United States Embassy in Yemen
suspended its operations, and embassy staff were relocated out of the
country. Yemen has been supportive of, but has not been able to cooperate
fully with, the United States in counterterrorism efforts.
(f) In
light of the conditions in these six countries, until the assessment of current
screening and vetting procedures required by section 2 of this order is
completed, the risk of erroneously permitting entry of a national of one of
these countries who intends to commit terrorist acts or otherwise harm the
national security of the United States is unacceptably high. Accordingly,
while that assessment is ongoing, I am imposing a temporary pause on the entry
of nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, subject to
categorical exceptions and case-by-case waivers, as described in section 3
of this order.
(g)
Iraq presents a special case. Portions of Iraq remain active combat
zones. Since 2014, ISIS has had dominant influence over significant
territory in northern and central Iraq. Although that influence has been
significantly reduced due to the efforts and sacrifices of the Iraqi government
and armed forces, working along with a United States-led coalition, the ongoing
conflict has impacted the Iraqi government's capacity to secure its borders and
to identify fraudulent travel documents. Nevertheless, the close
cooperative relationship between the United States and the democratically
elected Iraqi government, the strong United States diplomatic presence in Iraq,
the significant presence of United States forces in Iraq, and Iraq's commitment
to combat ISIS justify different treatment for Iraq. In particular, those
Iraqi government forces that have fought to regain more than half of the territory
previously dominated by ISIS have shown steadfast determination and earned
enduring respect as they battle an armed group that is the common enemy of Iraq
and the United States. In addition, since Executive Order 13769 was
issued, the Iraqi government has expressly undertaken steps to enhance travel
documentation, information sharing, and the return of Iraqi nationals subject
to final orders of removal. Decisions about issuance of visas or granting
admission to Iraqi nationals should be subjected to additional scrutiny to
determine if applicants have connections with ISIS or other terrorist
organizations, or otherwise pose a risk to either national security or
public safety.
(h)
Recent history shows that some of those who have entered the United States
through our immigration system have proved to be threats to our national
security. Since 2001, hundreds of persons born abroad have been convicted
of terrorism-related crimes in the United States. They have included not
just persons who came here legally on visas but also individuals who first
entered the country as refugees. For example, in January 2013, two Iraqi
nationals admitted to the United States as refugees in 2009 were sentenced to
40 years and to life in prison, respectively, for multiple terrorism-related
offenses. And in October 2014, a native of Somalia who had been brought
to the United States as a child refugee and later became a naturalized United
States citizen was sentenced to 30 years in prison for attempting to use a
weapon of mass destruction as part of a plot to detonate a bomb at a crowded
Christmas-tree-lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. The Attorney
General has reported to me that more than 300 persons who entered
the United States as refugees are currently the subjects of
counterterrorism investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(i)
Given the foregoing, the entry into the United States of foreign nationals who
may commit, aid, or support acts of terrorism remains a matter of grave
concern. In light of the Ninth Circuit's observation that the political
branches are better suited to determine the appropriate scope of any
suspensions than are the courts, and in order to avoid spending additional time
pursuing litigation, I am revoking Executive Order 13769 and replacing it with
this order, which expressly excludes from the suspensions categories of aliens
that have prompted judicial concerns and which clarifies or refines the
approach to certain other issues or categories of affected aliens.
Sec. 2.
Temporary Suspension of Entry for Nationals of Countries of Particular Concern
During Review Period. (a) The Secretary of Homeland Security, in
consultation with the Secretary of State and the Director of National
Intelligence, shall conduct a worldwide review to identify whether, and if so
what, additional information will be needed from each foreign country to
adjudicate an application by a national of that country for a visa, admission,
or other benefit under the INA (adjudications) in order to determine that the
individual is not a security or public-safety threat. The Secretary of
Homeland Security may conclude that certain information is needed from
particular countries even if it is not needed from every country.
(b) The
Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State and
the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to the President a report
on the results of the worldwide review described in subsection (a) of this
section, including the Secretary of Homeland Security's determination of the
information needed from each country for adjudications and a list of countries
that do not provide adequate information, within 20 days of the effective date
of this order. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide a copy of
the report to the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Director of
National Intelligence.
(c) To
temporarily reduce investigative burdens on relevant agencies during the review
period described in subsection (a) of this section, to ensure the proper
review and maximum utilization of available resources for the screening
and vetting of foreign nationals, to ensure that adequate standards are
established to prevent infiltration by foreign terrorists, and in light of the
national security concerns referenced in section 1 of this order, I hereby
proclaim, pursuant to sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the INA, 8 U.S.C.
1182(f) and 1185(a), that the unrestricted entry into the United States of
nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen would be detrimental
to the interests of the United States. I therefore direct that the entry
into the United States of nationals of those six countries be suspended for 90
days from the effective date of this order, subject to the limitations,
waivers, and exceptions set forth in sections 3 and 12 of this order.
(d)
Upon submission of the report described in subsection (b) of this section
regarding the information needed from each country for adjudications, the
Secretary of State shall request that all foreign governments that do not
supply such information regarding their nationals begin providing it within 50
days of notification.
(e)
After the period described in subsection (d) of this section
expires, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary
of State and the Attorney General, shall submit to the President a list of
countries recommended for inclusion in a Presidential proclamation that would
prohibit the entry of appropriate categories of foreign nationals of countries
that have not provided the information requested until they do so or until the
Secretary of Homeland Security certifies that the country has an adequate plan
to do so, or has adequately shared information through other means. The
Secretary of State, the Attorney General, or the Secretary of Homeland Security
may also submit to the President the names of additional countries for which
any of them recommends other lawful restrictions or limitations deemed
necessary for the security or welfare of the United States.
(f) At
any point after the submission of the list described in subsection (e) of
this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the
Secretary of State and the Attorney General, may submit to the President the
names of any additional countries recommended for similar treatment, as well as
the names of any countries that they recommend should be removed from the scope
of a proclamation described in subsection (e) of this section.
(g) The
Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the
President a joint report on the progress in implementing this order within 60
days of the effective date of this order, a second report within 90 days of the
effective date of this order, a third report within 120 days of the effective
date of this order, and a fourth report within 150 days of the effective date
of this order.
Sec. 3.
Scope and Implementation of Suspension.
(a)
Scope. Subject to the exceptions set forth in subsection (b) of this
section and any waiver under subsection (c) of this section, the
suspension of entry pursuant to section 2 of this order shall apply only to
foreign nationals of the designated countries who:
(i) are outside the
United States on the effective date of this order;
(ii) did not have a valid
visa at 5:00 p.m., eastern standard time on January 27, 2017; and
(iii) do not have a valid visa
on the effective date of this order.
(b)
Exceptions. The suspension of entry pursuant to section 2 of this
order shall not apply to:
(i) any lawful
permanent resident of the United States;
(ii) any foreign national
who is admitted to or paroled into the United States on or after the effective
date of this order;
(iii) any foreign national who
has a document other than a visa, valid on the effective date of this order or
issued on any date thereafter, that permits him or her to travel to the United
States and seek entry or admission, such as an advance parole document;
(iv) any dual national of
a country designated under section 2 of this order when the individual is
traveling on a passport issued by a non-designated country;
(v) any foreign
national traveling on a diplomatic or diplomatic-type visa, North Atlantic
Treaty Organization visa, C-2 visa for travel to the United Nations, or G-1,
G-2, G-3, or G-4 visa; or
(vi) any foreign national
who has been granted asylum; any refugee who has already been admitted to the
United States; or any individual who has been granted withholding of removal,
advance parole, or protection under the Convention Against Torture.
(c)
Waivers. Notwithstanding the suspension of entry pursuant to
section 2 of this order, a consular officer, or, as appropriate, the
Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or the Commissioner's
delegee, may, in the consular officer's or the CBP official's discretion,
decide on a case-by-case basis to authorize the issuance of a visa to, or to
permit the entry of, a foreign national for whom entry is otherwise suspended
if the foreign national has demonstrated to the officer's satisfaction
that denying entry during the suspension period would cause undue hardship, and
that his or her entry would not pose a threat to national security and would be
in the national interest. Unless otherwise specified by the Secretary of
Homeland Security, any waiver issued by a consular officer as part of the visa
issuance process will be effective both for the issuance of a visa and any
subsequent entry on that visa, but will leave all other requirements for
admission or entry unchanged. Case-by-case waivers could be appropriate
in circumstances such as the following:
(i) the
foreign national has previously been admitted to the United States for a
continuous period of work, study, or other long-term activity, is outside the
United States on the effective date of this order, seeks to reenter the United
States to resume that activity, and the denial of reentry during the suspension
period would impair that activity;
(ii) the foreign
national has previously established significant contacts with the
United States but is outside the United States on the effective
date of this order for work, study, or other lawful activity;
(iii) the foreign national
seeks to enter the United States for significant business or professional
obligations and the denial of entry during the suspension period would impair
those obligations;
(iv) the foreign
national seeks to enter the United States to visit or reside with a close
family member (e.g., a spouse, child, or parent) who is a United States
citizen, lawful permanent resident, or alien lawfully admitted on a valid
nonimmigrant visa, and the denial of entry during the suspension period would
cause undue hardship;
(v) the
foreign national is an infant, a young child or adoptee, an individual needing
urgent medical care, or someone whose entry is otherwise justified by the
special circumstances of the case;
(vi) the foreign
national has been employed by, or on behalf of, the United States Government
(or is an eligible dependent of such an employee) and the employee can document
that he or she has provided faithful and valuable service to the United States
Government;
(vii) the foreign national
is traveling for purposes related to an international organization designated
under the International Organizations Immunities Act (IOIA), 22 U.S.C. 288 et
seq., traveling for purposes of conducting meetings or business with the
United States Government, or traveling to conduct business on behalf of an
international organization not designated under the IOIA;
(viii) the foreign national is a
landed Canadian immigrant who applies for a visa at a location within Canada;
or
(ix) the foreign
national is traveling as a United States Government-sponsored exchange
visitor.
Sec. 4.
Additional Inquiries Related to Nationals of Iraq. An application by any
Iraqi national for a visa, admission, or other immigration benefit should be
subjected to thorough review, including, as appropriate, consultation with a
designee of the Secretary of Defense and use of the additional information that
has been obtained in the context of the close U.S.-Iraqi security
partnership, since Executive Order 13769 was issued, concerning individuals
suspected of ties to ISIS or other terrorist organizations and individuals coming
from territories controlled or formerly controlled by ISIS. Such review
shall include consideration of whether the applicant has connections with ISIS
or other terrorist organizations or with territory that is or has been under
the dominant influence of ISIS, as well as any other information
bearing on whether the applicant may be a threat to commit acts of
terrorism or otherwise threaten the national security or public safety of
the United States.
Sec. 5.
Implementing Uniform Screening and Vetting Standards for All Immigration
Programs. (a) The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the
Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence shall
implement a program, as part of the process for adjudications, to identify individuals
who seek to enter the United States on a fraudulent basis, who support
terrorism, violent extremism, acts of violence toward any group or class of
people within the United States, or who present a risk of causing harm
subsequent to their entry. This program shall include the
development of a uniform baseline for screening and vetting standards and
procedures, such as in-person interviews; a database of identity documents
proffered by applicants to ensure that duplicate documents are not used by multiple
applicants; amended application forms that include questions aimed at
identifying fraudulent answers and malicious intent; a mechanism to ensure that
applicants are who they claim to be; a mechanism to assess whether applicants
may commit, aid, or support any kind of violent, criminal, or terrorist acts
after entering the United States; and any other appropriate means for
ensuring the proper collection of all information necessary for a rigorous
evaluation of all grounds of inadmissibility or grounds for the denial of other
immigration benefits.
(b) The
Secretary of Homeland Security, in conjunction with the Secretary of State, the
Attorney General, and the Director of National Intelligence, shall submit to
the President an initial report on the progress of the program described in
subsection (a) of this section within 60 days of the effective date of
this order, a second report within 100 days of the effective date of this
order, and a third report within 200 days of the effective date of this order.
Sec. 6.
Realignment of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for Fiscal Year 2017.
(a) The Secretary of State shall suspend travel of refugees into
the United States under the USRAP, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall
suspend decisions on applications for refugee status, for 120 days after
the effective date of this order, subject to waivers pursuant to
subsection (c) of this section. During the 120-day period,
the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Homeland
Security and in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, shall
review the USRAP application and adjudication processes to determine what
additional procedures should be used to ensure that individuals seeking
admission as refugees do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United
States, and shall implement such additional procedures. The suspension
described in this subsection shall not apply to refugee applicants who, before
the effective date of this order, have been formally scheduled for transit by
the Department of State. The Secretary of State shall resume travel of
refugees into the United States under the USRAP 120 days after the effective
date of this order, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall resume making
decisions on applications for refugee status only for stateless persons and
nationals of countries for which the Secretary of State, the Secretary of
Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence have jointly
determined that the additional procedures implemented pursuant to this
subsection are adequate to ensure the security and welfare of the United
States.
(b)
Pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA, I hereby proclaim that the entry
of more than 50,000 refugees in fiscal year 2017 would be detrimental to the
interests of the United States, and thus suspend any entries
in excess of that number until such time as I determine that additional
entries would be in the national interest.
(c)
Notwithstanding the temporary suspension imposed pursuant to
subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of State and the Secretary
of Homeland Security may jointly determine to admit individuals to the United
States as refugees on a case-by-case basis, in their discretion, but only so
long as they determine that the entry of such individuals as refugees is in the
national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of
the United States, including in circumstances such as the following: the
individual's entry would enable the United States to conform its conduct to a
preexisting international agreement or arrangement, or the denial of entry
would cause undue hardship.
(d) It
is the policy of the executive branch that, to the extent permitted by law and
as practicable, State and local jurisdictions be granted a role in the process
of determining the placement or settlement in their jurisdictions of aliens
eligible to be admitted to the United States as refugees. To that end,
the Secretary of State shall examine existing law to determine the extent to
which, consistent with applicable law, State and local jurisdictions may have
greater involvement in the process of determining the placement or resettlement
of refugees in their jurisdictions, and shall devise a proposal
to lawfully promote such involvement.
Sec. 7.
Rescission of Exercise of Authority Relating to the Terrorism Grounds of
Inadmissibility. The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall, in consultation with the Attorney General, consider rescinding
the exercises of authority permitted by section 212(d)(3)(B) of the INA,
8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(3)(B), relating to the terrorism grounds of
inadmissibility, as well as any related implementing directives or guidance.
Sec. 8.
Expedited Completion of the Biometric Entry-Exit Tracking System.
(a) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall expedite the
completion and implementation of a biometric entry‑exit tracking system for
in-scope travelers to the United States, as recommended by the National
Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.
(b) The
Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the President periodic reports
on the progress of the directive set forth in subsection (a) of this
section. The initial report shall be submitted within 100 days of the
effective date of this order, a second report shall be submitted within 200
days of the effective date of this order, and a third report shall be
submitted within 365 days of the effective date of this order. The
Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit further reports every 180 days
thereafter until the system is fully deployed and operational.
Sec. 9.
Visa Interview Security. (a) The Secretary of State shall
immediately suspend the Visa Interview Waiver Program and ensure compliance
with section 222 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1202, which requires that all
individuals seeking a nonimmigrant visa undergo an in-person interview, subject
to specific statutory exceptions. This suspension shall not apply to any
foreign national traveling on a diplomatic or diplomatic-type visa, North
Atlantic Treaty Organization visa, C-2 visa for travel to the United Nations,
or G-1, G-2, G-3, or G-4 visa; traveling for purposes related to an
international organization designated under the IOIA; or traveling for purposes
of conducting meetings or business with the United States Government.
(b) To
the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations,
the Secretary of State shall immediately expand the Consular Fellows Program,
including by substantially increasing the number of Fellows, lengthening or
making permanent the period of service, and making language training at the
Foreign Service Institute available to Fellows for assignment to posts outside
of their area of core linguistic ability, to ensure that nonimmigrant
visa-interview wait times are not unduly affected.
Sec. 10.
Visa Validity Reciprocity. The Secretary of State shall review all
nonimmigrant visa reciprocity agreements and arrangements to ensure that they
are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as
practicable with respect to validity period and fees, as required by sections
221(c) and 281 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(c) and 1351, and other treatment.
If another country does not treat United States nationals seeking
nonimmigrant visas in a truly reciprocal manner, the Secretary of State shall
adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the
treatment of United States nationals by that foreign country, to the extent
practicable.
Sec. 11.
Transparency and Data Collection. (a) To be more transparent
with the American people and to implement more effectively policies and
practices that serve the national interest, the Secretary of Homeland Security,
in consultation with the Attorney General, shall, consistent with applicable
law and national security, collect and make publicly available the following
information:
(i) information
regarding the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been
charged with terrorism-related offenses while in the United States;
convicted of terrorism-related offenses while in the United States; or removed
from the United States based on terrorism-related activity, affiliation
with or provision of material support to a terrorism-related
organization, or any other national-security-related reasons;
(ii) information regarding
the number of foreign nationals in the United States who have been radicalized
after entry into the United States and who have engaged in terrorism-related
acts, or who have provided material support to terrorism-related organizations
in countries that pose a threat to the United States;
(iii) information regarding the
number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including
so-called "honor killings," in the United States by foreign
nationals; and
(iv) any other information
relevant to public safety and security as determined by the Secretary of
Homeland Security or the Attorney General, including information on the
immigration status of foreign nationals charged with major offenses.
(b) The
Secretary of Homeland Security shall release the initial report under
subsection (a) of this section within 180 days of the effective date of
this order and shall include information for the period from September 11,
2001, until the date of the initial report. Subsequent reports shall be
issued every 180 days thereafter and reflect the period since the previous
report.
Sec.
12. Enforcement. (a) The Secretary of State and the Secretary
of Homeland Security shall consult with appropriate domestic and international
partners, including countries and organizations, to ensure efficient,
effective, and appropriate implementation of the actions directed in this
order.
(b) In
implementing this order, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of
Homeland Security shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations,
including, as appropriate, those providing an opportunity for individuals to
claim a fear of persecution or torture, such as the credible fear
determination for aliens covered by section 235(b)(1)(A) of the INA, 8
U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(A).
(c) No
immigrant or nonimmigrant visa issued before the effective date of this order
shall be revoked pursuant to this order.
(d) Any
individual whose visa was marked revoked or marked canceled as a result of
Executive Order 13769 shall be entitled to a travel document confirming that
the individual is permitted to travel to the United States and seek
entry. Any prior cancellation or revocation of a visa that was solely
pursuant to Executive Order 13769 shall not be the basis of inadmissibility for
any future determination about entry or admissibility.
(e)
This order shall not apply to an individual who has been granted asylum, to a
refugee who has already been admitted to the United States, or to an individual
granted withholding of removal or protection under the Convention Against
Torture. Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit the ability
of an individual to seek asylum, withholding of removal, or protection
under the Convention Against Torture, consistent with the laws of the United States.
Sec.
13. Revocation. Executive Order 13769 of January 27, 2017, is
revoked as of the effective date of this order.
Sec.
14. Effective Date. This order is effective at 12:01 a.m., eastern
daylight time on March 16, 2017.
Sec. 15.
Severability. (a) If any provision of this order, or the
application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be
invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its other
provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
(b) If
any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person
or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack of certain
procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall
implement those procedural requirements.
Sec. 16.
General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be
construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted
by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary,
administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b)
This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and
subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c)
This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit,
substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers,
employees, or agents, or any other person.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 6, 2017.
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