Who is affected by Trump’s immigration order?

Ambiguity reigned Sunday as to the finer details of Donald Trump’s
temporary ban on incoming refugees and travelers from seven Muslim
countries, with questions remaining about how exactly the measures
affect various populations.

The order initially took many travelers by surprise, especially those
already aboard airplanes en route to the United States as the president
signed the measure into force on Friday afternoon.
US President Donald Trump
Administration officials reported that 109 people had been detained as
they arrived in the United States on Saturday, of which “a couple
dozen” individuals were still being held as of Sunday morning.
The following is a list of the nationalities and groups of people affected
by Trump’s order, which is titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign
Terrorist Entry into the United States.”
– Refugees –
The decree prohibits entry to all refugees, regardless of nationality, for
120 days. Beyond that time, the United States will admit a maximum
of 50,000 refugee in 2017, more than halving the 110,000-person limit
set by former president Barack Obama.
The US refugee program was previously frozen for three months
following the September 11 attack in 2001.
– Syrians –
All Syrians, refugee or otherwise, are forbidden from entering the
United States until further notice.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the
Syrian war has forced 4.8 million people to flee the country since 2011.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in December it had
recorded the deaths of 312,001 people since the conflict began with
anti-government protests in March 2011.
– Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya –
No visas will be issued for 90 days to migrants or visitors from seven
mainly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and
Yemen.
– Green card holders –
The decree does not affect those who hold a US green card. Secretary
of Homeland Security John Kelly declared the entry of lawful
permanent residents to be “in the national interest.”
However, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said that nationals
from the seven countries named in the order should expect to be
subject to increased border controls.
– Visa holders –
All visa holders coming from the seven specified countries are subject
to the new order, with the exception of those who hold diplomatic
visas or visas to international institutions such as NATO or the United
Nations.
Judges in at least four states have blocked part of the ban, ordering
authorities to stop deporting refugees and other travelers stuck at US
airports.
– Binationals –
The situation for individuals with dual nationality remains complex. US
officials said Saturday that American citizens who also have a passport
from one of the seven barred countries are not affected by the order.
An exemption is also granted to dual nationals holding British and
Canadian passports.
Britain said its nationals would not be subject to additional checks
unless they traveled directly to the US from one of the listed countries.
But dual nationals who hold passports from one of the seven countries
plus an additional foreign country will not be able to gain entrance.

Tweet

Sign up here with your email address to receive updates from this blog in your inbox.