This is a downloadable fact sheet about what Pres. Trump’s Protecting America from Foreign Terrorists executive order actually does versus the inflated myths that have been circulated. This fact sheet was authored by NumbersUSA’s Director of Gov't Relations, Rosemary Jenks.
Pres. Trump’s executive order would:
- Fulfill the promise Trump made repeatedly for months leading up to his election.
- Requires the Secretaries of DHS and State and the DNI to determine within 30 days exactly what information is required to properly vet a foreign national who wants to enter the United States. Then they have to come up with a list of countries that don't currently provide that specific information, and ask them to provide it within 60 days.
- In the meantime, the order pauses entry of all nationals of the seven countries designated by Congress and Obama in 2015 and 2016 as presenting a significant terrorist risk for a period of 90 days.
- Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia.
- Exceptions are made for diplomats, NATO and other officials.
- Everyone else may be admitted on a case-by-case basis, with green card holders having a presumptive case.
- Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia.
- Also pauses the entire refugee program for 120 days and Syrian refugees until the President determines otherwise. After 120 days, the program resumes with:
- A cap for this year at 50,000, the same as it was for basically the past decade, except for Obama's last two years; and
- Among those claiming religious persecution, a priority for religious minorities.
- A cap for this year at 50,000, the same as it was for basically the past decade, except for Obama's last two years; and
What his executive order does not do:
- Ban Muslims.
- Ban anything. It's temporary.
- Create an unconstitutional religious test.
- Anything Presidents and Congress haven't done before.
- All of the past five Presidents have used the same provision of the INA that Trump is using to restrict or pause the entry of certain classes of aliens.
- In 2002, Congress passed the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act. "SEC. 306. No nonimmigrant visa under section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.1101(a)(15)) shall be issued to any alien from a country that is a state sponsor of international terrorism unless the Secretary of State determines, in consultation with the Attorney General and the heads of other appropriate United States agencies, that such alien does not pose a threat to the safety or national security of the United States."
This bill was sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). It had unanimous support, including from 16 Senate Democrats who are still serving today. It is current law.
- All of the past five Presidents have used the same provision of the INA that Trump is using to restrict or pause the entry of certain classes of aliens.
- In 2011, Obama suspended the refugee program for Iraqis.
- In Nov. 2015, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told The Hill newspaper that "a pause" in the Syrian refugee program may be necessary. The same day, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told The Hill, “Let us not just single out the refugees as the potential source of danger in the United States."
