The President of the United States has issued an order aimed at enhancing national security and public safety by addressing potential threats from foreign nationals. The directive, grounded in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and other legal authorities, outlines a comprehensive approach to prevent individuals who may pose security risks from entering or remaining in the country.
The policy emphasizes vigilance during the visa issuance process to ensure that individuals admitted into the United States do not intend harm. It aims to identify such individuals before their entry and ensure they do not support hostile activities against American citizens or institutions.
To implement this policy, the Secretary of State, along with other key officials including the Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Director of National Intelligence, are tasked with several responsibilities. These include identifying resources for thorough vetting and screening of aliens seeking admission or already present in the U.S., determining necessary information for visa adjudication, re-establishing uniform screening standards, and focusing on regions with identified security risks.
Within 60 days, these officials must report on countries with deficient vetting information that may justify suspending admissions from those nations. They will also provide data on nationals from these countries who have entered since January 2021.
Additional measures include evaluating existing regulations related to inadmissibility grounds under INA sections 212(a)(2)-(3), ensuring stringent identification verification for refugees, assessing visa programs' security implications, recommending actions against foreign nationals undermining constitutional rights, allocating resources for specific offenses under 8 U.S.C. 1451, evaluating immigrant assimilation programs, and suggesting further protective actions.
The order clarifies that it does not alter existing legal authorities or create enforceable rights against the U.S. government. It is to be implemented within legal constraints and available appropriations.
