US President Donald Trump signed a new immigration executive order [5] March 6, which contains several departures from the original January executive order [6]. Notably, Iraqi citizens are no longer ineligible to receive new visas. The order also sets out classes of people eligible to apply for case-by-case waivers to the order, including those who were previously admitted to the US for "a continuous period of work, study, or other long-term activity," those with "significant business or professional obligations" and those seeking to visit or live with family. However, the other six Muslim-majority countries listed on the original ban will continue to be blocked from obtaining new visas. Furthermore, the refugee program will be suspended for 120 days, and will accept no more than 50,000 refugees a year, down from the 110,000 set by the Obama administration. The order will take effect on March 16.
Last week the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied [7] a request by the Department of Justice to stay an appeal on Trump's previous controversial immigration executive order. The DOJ requested [8] a hold on the court proceedings until Trump issued a new order.
From Jurist [9], March 6. Used with permission.
Note: The ACLU [10], in predging to fight the new order, notes that a statement "ON PREVENTING MUSLIM IMMIGRATION [11]" still live on the Trump campaign website calls for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States." While the travel ban has been held up by the courts, the Trump administration [12] has been barring some nationals of the targeted countries through other means [13].
