Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats

This executive order mandates enhanced vetting and screening of all aliens seeking admission or already present in the U.S., requiring agencies to identify deficient countries for potential admission suspensions within 60 days and to evaluate visa programs, inadmissibility grounds, and assimilation policies within 30 days. It re-establishes pre-January 20, 2021 screening baselines and directs removal of aliens found to threaten national security or public safety.

Federal Register Open PDF 90 FR 8451

Impact dates

Feb 19, 2025
Evaluate and adjust inadmissibility regulations; strengthen refugee verification; evaluate visa programs; recommend actions to protect constitutional rights; evaluate assimilation programs; recommend additional protective actions
Jan 20, 2021
Joint report identifying countries with deficient vetting information warranting admission suspension, and data on nationals admitted since January 20, 2021

Key directives

Re-establish uniform screening and vetting baseline consistent with January 19, 2021 standards
Vet and screen all aliens to 'maximum degree possible'
Within 60 days: submit report identifying countries with deficient vetting information warranting partial or full suspension of admissions under INA 212(f)
Within 60 days: report number of nationals from identified countries admitted since January 20, 2021 and their post-admission activities
Take immediate steps to exclude or remove aliens when information supports such action
Within 30 days: evaluate and adjust regulations and policies on INA 212(a)(2)-(3) inadmissibility grounds
Within 30 days: ensure stringent identification verification for refugees beyond standard requirements
Within 30 days: evaluate all visa programs for exploitation by hostile actors
Within 30 days: recommend actions to protect against foreign nationals undermining constitutional rights
Within 30 days: evaluate adequacy of immigrant assimilation programs and recommend measures promoting unified American identity

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Agencies directed to promptly identify vetting resources and re-establish January 19, 2021 screening baseline
DHS required to take immediate steps to exclude or remove aliens when supporting information is identified

Near term (90d)

Within 30 days: evaluate and adjust regulations on inadmissibility grounds, strengthen refugee verification, evaluate visa programs, assess assimilation programs, and recommend additional protective actions
Within 60 days: joint report to President identifying countries with deficient vetting information warranting potential admission suspension, and data on nationals from those countries admitted since January 20, 2021

Long term

Potential country-specific admission suspensions under INA 212(f) based on 60-day report findings
Possible structural changes to visa programs and immigration benefits adjudication
Ongoing enhanced vetting of all aliens with emphasis on 'maximum degree possible' screening

Risks & tensions

Explicit reference to January 19, 2021 baseline suggests rollback of Biden-era vetting modifications, though text does not specify what changed
Broad mandate to screen to 'maximum degree possible' may create implementation conflicts with resource constraints and existing legal frameworks
Direction to exclude/remove aliens 'unless' inhibiting investigation creates tension with due process and prosecutorial discretion norms
Vague criteria for 'hostile attitudes toward citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles' raises First Amendment and ideological vetting concerns
Assimilation evaluation mandate ('unified American identity') touches on contested cultural policy territory
Potential for broad country-based admission suspensions reminiscent of prior travel ban litigation