DHS ANNOUNCES NEW SECURITY MEASURES FOR REFUGEES FROM 11 NATIONS
March 23, 2018
On January 29, 2018, DHS announced that it will impose new security measures on refugee applicants from 11 “high-risk” countries. The decision followed a 90-day review period during which DHS weighed whether additional safeguards were needed.
The Trump administration resumed refugee admissions in October 2017 after the expiration of an executive order that blocked resettlement for 120 days. 11 countries were singled out for additional review. The administration has not identified the 11 countries, but several reports indicate that they are: Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
According to the Trump administration, the current list of countries requiring additional screening has not been updated since 2015 and does not reflect the comprehensive assessment of public safety and national security risks associated with applicants from those countries.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has also recommended that a joint DHS and State Department working group convene to further review the list and propose an updated one in six months.
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr (esahr@eckertseamans.com, 202-659-6622) or Drew Derco (dderco@eckertseamans.com, 202-659-6665).
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