Washington, D.C. (February 1, 2020) – Citing national security interests,
DHS has announced new travel restrictions for six countries, to take effect February 22. DHS and State Department officials say that as many as 12,400 immigrant visa applicants could be affected (based on 2018 issuances from those countries), but of course there will be waivers. The policy applies to anyone who has not been issued a visa within the next three weeks.
Burma, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria - all immigrant visas fall under the ban
Sudan and Tanzania - only lottery immigrant visas banned
Visas already issued will remain valid (presumably even if travel takes place after the restrictions go into effect), and applicants from these countries will automatically be considered for a waiver (whether they ask for one or not).
Jessica Vaughan, the Center’s director of policy studies, commented, “Citizens of listed countries can still obtain long and short-term 'temporary' visas, including work and student programs. This begs the question: if the country's identification security and risk profile is a problem, shouldn't we also bar temporary applicants, where scrutiny is even more cursory?”
Acting DHS
Secretary Wolf spoke to the need for the restrictions, “It is logical and essential to thoroughly screen and vet everyone seeking to travel or immigrate to the United States. However, there are some countries from whom the U.S. does not receive the necessary information about its travelers and, as a result, pose a national security or public safety risk that warrants tailored travel restrictions.”
Five of the six – all but Kyrgyzstan – have been listed by federal immigration officials as also being “recalcitrant” or “at risk of being designated recalcitrant”, that is, failing to readily accept their citizens back after deportation.
The administration makes the restrictions as permitted by Section 212(f) of the INA which states, in pertinent part:
Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.
