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2.0

EO 14161 §§ 2(a) and 3(a) direct maximum vetting of all noncitizens seeking admission to U.S. and those in the U.S.

  1. Original Date Announced

    January 20, 2025

    Sections 2(a) and 3(a) of Presidential EO 14161, "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats," order the Secretary of Homeland Security, Attorney General, and Director of National Intelligence to identify resources to ensure "aliens" seeking admission "or who are already in the United States" are vetted to the “maximum degree possible.” The agencies are ordered to return to vetting baseline as it existed on January 19, 2021, and to determine the information needed from “any country” to adjudicate any immigration benefit for any of its nationals. They are further ordered to review all existing policies to prevent admission of refugees or stateless persons without “stringent identification verification beyond that required of any other alien seeking admission or entry.”

    Trump 2.0 [ID #1414]

    2025.01.20 EO 14161 - Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats

  2. Effective Date

    January 20, 2025

  3. Subsequent Trump and Court Action(s)

    • February 26, 2025

      2025.02.26 DOS Revision to 9 FAM 305.4 - Processing Waivers

      DOS revised the Foreign Affairs Manual section on waivers pursuant to EO 14161. The revised provision, 9 FAM 305.4-3(D), now requires that INA 212(d)(3)(A) waivers "must be made anew and independently, after considering all the facts" and officials are not to give "undue deference" to a prior officer's decision to request a waiver.

      Prior to the revision, 9 FAM 305.4-3(D) instructed officials to "be consistent in [212(d)(3)(A)] waiver recommendations." Waivers under 212(d)(3)(A) are recommended at the discretion of consular officers for nonimmigrant visas applicants who may be subject to grounds of inadmissibility, including criminal convictions.

      View Document
    • March 3, 2025

      2025.03.03 DHS/USCIS Information Collection Notice

      DHS and USCIS have announced they will collect information on 24 biographic identifiers for identity verification and national security vetting. The data elements will be added to certain immigration benefit request forms where the information is not already collected, including the N-400, I-485, and I-589.

      View Document

Current Status

None

Original Trump Policy Status

Status: Final/Actual
Trump Administration Action: Presidential Orders
Subject Matter: Immigrant Visas Non-Immigrant Visas
Agencies Affected: DHS AG

Documents

Trump-Era Policy Documents

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