U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order resuming the admission of refugees into the country, but imposed tougher scrutiny on nationals from 11 countries identified as posing a high risk to national security.
The new order was issued Tuesday as an earlier order that imposed a 120-day ban on refugee admissions expired. All refugees hoping to enter the United States will face additional, enhanced vetting measures, such as providing additional personal information than previously required.
Nationals from the 11 countries identified as high risk will face an extra 90-day review on their application, and will be admitted into the United States on a case-by-case basis if their entry is deemed in the national interest, and they pose no threat to Americans.
Officials refused to name the 11 countries, but both Reuters and the French news agency have identified them as the same countries whose nationals are already required to undergo higher-level screening -- Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.