President Trump’s Executive Orders on Immigration – What They Mean and Where Can You Find More Information?

Executive Orders

• Executive Order, Buy American and Hire American, (4/18/2017): https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/04/18/presidential-executive-order-buy-american-and-hire-american
• Executive Order, Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry To The United States, (03/06/17):  https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/03/06/executive-order-protecting-nation-foreign-terrorist-entry-united-states
• Executive Order 13769, Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States (01/27/17) aka “Entry Ban” or “Muslim Ban” Executive Order, available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/02/01/2017-02281/protecting-the-nation-from-foreign-terrorist-entry-into-the-united-states
• Executive Order 13767, Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements (01/25/17), available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/30/2017-02095/border-security-and-immigration-enforcement-improvements
• Executive Order 13768, Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States (01/25/17), available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/30/2017-02102/enhancing-public-safety-in-the-interior-of-the-united-states

U.S. Government Links Related to the Executive Orders

• On 3/7/2017, President Trump signed a revised version of his Executive Order travel ban, entitled , "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States." The revised EO is effective as of 12:01am ET on March 16, 2017 and applies to foreign nationals from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, omitting Iraq.  
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has posted a fact sheet and FAQ on the revised travel ban, available at https://www.dhs.gov/news/2017/03/06/fact-sheet-protecting-nation-foreign-terrorist-entry-united-states and https://www.dhs.gov/news/2017/03/06/qa-protecting-nation-foreign-terrorist-entry-united-states
• Department of State (DOS) Announcements on the Executive Orders on Visa
  • https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/news/important-announcement.html
  • https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/news/executive-order-on-protecting-the-nation-from-terrorist-attacks-by-foreign-nationals.html
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection  - Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the U.S. (Includes Q&A), available at https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2017-Feb/EO-QA-PDF-WEB-02.02.2017.pdf
• United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Implementation of the Jan. 27 Executive Order, available at https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-implementation-jan-27-executive-order
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) News/ Fact Sheets -Executive Order: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, available at
  https://www.dhs.gov/news-releases/fact-sheets

What is the Latest? – Executive Order Entry Ban Halted

The Ninth Circuit denied government motion for stay of proceedings in State of Washington v. Trump, Case No. 2:17-cv-00141-JLR (W.D.Wa., January 30, 2017) .  The Ninth Circuit denied the Trump Administration's motion asking the Ninth Circuit to indefinitely hold in abeyance proceedings in its appeal of a federal district court's February 3 temporary restraining order.   The court extended the deadline for the government's appeal brief to March 10.

February 21, 2017 - Revised "comprehensive" executive order expected next week.  The White House is expected to issue a revised immigration executive order next week, according to a presidential press conference today and a government brief just filed with the 9th Circuit.  The President commented, "We’re issuing a new executive action next week that will comprehensively protect our country. So we’ll be going along the one path and hopefully winning that, at the same time we will be issuing a new and very comprehensive order to protect our people. That will be done sometime next week, toward the beginning or middle at the latest part."  

February 9, 2017- The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected the government’s request to stay a federal district judge's nationwide temporary restraining order (TRO) against President Trump's January 27 entry ban executive order in the State of Washington v. Trump, Case No. 2:17-cv-00141-JLR (W.D.Wa., January 30, 2017).

The ruling means that the entry ban will remain suspended for now.  However, future court rulings could reinstate the ban while a federal district court challenge to the executive order continues.

The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and State Department have been complying with the TRO and are processing travelers as they did before the executive order. However, in light of the ongoing litigation, foreign nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen should continue to exercise caution before traveling to or departing from the United States.

Government Agency Websites Pertaining to US Immigration

• www.dhs.gov
• www.cbp.gob
• www.travel.state.gov
• www.ice.gov

Key Terms and Issues in Immigration Law