President Trump on Monday issued a new executive order on immigration that includes key changes meant to help it withstand the legal challenges that torpedoed his previous travel ban.
The new order removes Iraq from the list of Muslim-majority countries from which travel is temporarily banned, avoiding a major diplomatic spat with a key partner in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
It halts all refugee admissions to the U.S. for four months. The previous order, which was blocked by the courts, also contained that provision, but it indefinitely barred refugees from Syria.
The administration also struck language that would have given preference to religious minorities — such as Christians from the Middle East — once refugee resettlement resumes, according to a senior administration official. That provision gave fuel to critics who labeled the previous order a Muslim ban.
The new policy also provides clearer guidance on who is exempt from the ban. It does not affect legal permanent residents of the U.S. or people holding a valid visa at the time it was signed. Dual nationals using a passport from a country not on the list also do not fall under the ban, nor do foreign nationals traveling for diplomatic purposes.
Officials said the new order will go into effect on March 16, giving travelers, airlines and airports 10 days to prepare.
Immigrant-rights groups condemned the new order, calling the changes insignificant.
Read more at The Hill: http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/322475-trump-issues-new-immigration-order-meant-to-overcome-court