Sections

Commentary

President Trump’s executive order on refugees and visas

A demonstrator holds a sign to protest against U.S President Donald Trump's executive order banning refugees and immigrants from seven primarily Muslim countries from entering the United States during a rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Editor's note:

In Unpacked, Brookings experts provide analysis of Trump administration policies and news.

THE ISSUE: On January 27, 2017 President Trump signed an executive order to suspend the entry of refugees on immigrant and non-immigrant visas from seven predominantly Muslim countries into the United States.

The Justice Department, the State Department, the intelligence agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI appear to have not been consulted in a systematic way during the development of the order.

THE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • Almost none of the recent terrorist attacks in the U.S. have been committed by people from the countries covered in this order.
  • The order covers a huge number of people against whom we have no reason to believe would pose any real threat to the U.S.
  • The Justice Department, the State Department, the intelligence agencies, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI appear to have not been consulted in a systematic way during the development of the order.
  • This order did not follow the typical interagency process for making major national security decisions for the U.S.
    The order has led to significant diplomatic repercussions with for the U.S.
  • The atypical process used to develop the order is likely to be the same process used to manage international crises.
    Using a decision making process for critical matters that marginalizes national security is dangerous for the U.S.

Authors