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Update on the Executive Orders

2/2/2017
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On January 25, 2017, President Trump began issuing executive orders pertaining to immigration. A comprehensive review of the first two orders can be found in our earlier bLAWg post, What You Need to Know About Trump’s Executive Orders. On January 27th, the President issued another, more stringent order, Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States, which has been the subject of constant media reports over the past week. Rumors are circulating, causing additional anxiety for many employers and employees alike. GoffWilson has been closely monitoring the situation and can confirm the following as of February 2, 2017:
 
•U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) has been suspended for 120 days.
•Number of refugees to be accepted into the U.S. reduced from 110,000 to 50,000.
•Syrian refugee admissions to the U.S. have been halted indefinitely.
Immigrant and nonimmigrant entries into the U.S. from Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen have been   halted for 90 days (excluding U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents). This has not been expanded to include any other countries. The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has confirmed as of today that no amendment is currently being worked on to expand the list of countries.
•The DOS has provisionally revoked all valid immigrant and nonimmigrant visas for individuals from the countries listed above.
•Visa Interview Waiver Program (VIWP) has been suspended, requiring an in-person visa interview for most applicants. As of today, some consulates still have active VIWP’s, including India. Applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79 are still eligible for the VIWP. Additionally eligible are applicants having a previous issuance of the same visa within one year.
•As of today, there have not been any rules, regulations, or orders proposed or issued pertaining to the H-1B process specifically. Furthermore, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not confirmed whether it has suspended immigration benefit applications for individuals from the affected countries, who are already residing in the U.S.
 
There are numerous federal lawsuits ongoing that could affect the above-stated points. Just today, Lufthansa announced that it will permit travelers to Boston from all countries until February 5th due to a Massachusetts Federal District Court decision.
 
We will continue to monitor issues related to the executive orders, so stay tuned for updates.
 
GoffWilson is your source for immigration updates! Contact our office today with any questions.
 
Filed under:FAQ's, H-1B Visa, Immigration Law, Immigration Reform