What do new rules mean?
Syria A ban on Syrian refugees and no visas issued to Syrian nationals for an indefinite period so that any weakness in the vetting process can be eliminated. Refugees None to be admitted for 120 days, while the vetting process is assessed.
Donald Trump’s order also cuts the number of refugees accepted by the US by more than half, from 110,000 under Barack Obama to 50,000 from around the world.
Diplomats and United Nations staff are exempt and possibly people claiming religious persecution, as long as their religion is a minority faith in their country — such as Christianity in predominantly Muslim countries.
Other Immigration All immigration from countries with terrorism concerns – specifically Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Sudan – is suspended for 90 days. The department of homeland security later confirmed this also applies to holders of green cards, meaning they will not be allowed back into the US despite their status as legal and permanent US residents. If other countries fail to provide the information required by the US for its vetting process within 60 days of asking, citizens of those countries will be banned too.
Extreme vetting Few specifics, but the president wants to tighten the approval system for refugees. During the Obama administration, vetting for refugees included in-person interviews overseas, collating details about their families, friendships, social or political activities, employment, phone numbers, email accounts and gathering biometric information, including fingerprints. Processing Syrians took years because they were subject to additional, classified checks.