As the political climate within the United States changes, so do the policies surrounding immigration law. Our newest administration is taking steps to put an end to illegal immigration and has also issued an executive order regarding immigration to the United States from certain countries. As of March 6, 2017, the most recent Executive Order bans people from six countries from immigrating or traveling to the United States on the basis that our national security may be safer from threats of terrorism. These countries include Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
In President Trump’s previous Executive Order issued in January 2017, Iraq was also included in this travel ban. However, the revised order removed Iraq from that list in an effort to maintain relations with Iraq’s democratically elected government to work together to combat ISIS. It is important to know that Iraqi nationals are permitted to travel to the United States but will be highly scrutinized by the Department of Homeland Security, so it may be more difficult to obtain a visa during this time.
As the Executive Order has been highly contested and immigration laws within the United States become stricter, it is important that all current and potential future visa holders and permanent residents maintain an awareness of the rapidly changing laws. There are certain groups of people who are exempt from the strict laws of this Order, including lawful permanent residents, dual nationals, foreign nationals with a diplomatic or NATO visa, refugees who have already been admitted to enter the United States, and those who have been granted asylum.
If you have questions about how the new immigration laws may impact you, contact an experienced immigration attorney who can provide you with assistance.
John Sesini is an experienced immigration attorney with offices in Green Bay and Milwaukee Wisconsin. If you have any questions regarding these matters, please contact the Sesini Law Group, S.C. and obtain your initial consultation.