Update: ANSI Statement on Executive Order on Entry to the U.S. by Certain Individuals from Certain Countries

On March 6, 2017, the Trump Administration revoked its prior Executive Order 13769 (which prevented admission to the United States to refugees and non-U.S. citizens from seven countries - Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen) and replaced it with a new and narrower Executive Order, imposing a "temporary pause" on the entry of nationals from six countries - Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen - subject to categorical exceptions and case-by-case waivers, as described in Section 3 of the Order.

The new Executive Order was to go into effect on March 16, 2017, but was blocked by two Federal Courts before it became effective. [See related news coverage.] The Executive Order would have:

• Imposed a 90-day ban on the issuance of new visas for citizens of the six identified countries

• Barred entry to refugees from around the world for 120 days and cap the number accepted per year at 50,000

• Allowed certain groups of people to apply for waivers to the order, including those with significant work obligations

The Executive Order does not include Iraq and, if it goes into effect following review by the Courts, will not affect green card or visa holders.

On June 26, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the decision by the two Federal Courts and decided to allow a limited version of the Executive Order to be implemented, pending a fuller review of all the issues in the fall. The Court determined that the Executive Order can take effect EXCEPT THAT "foreign nationals [from the six countries] who have a credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States" will not be denied entry into the United States. In doing so, the Court made no decision on the merits of the dispute but only determined that the balance of hardship favors foreign nationals from the six countries who have a legitimate relationship to the United States, but not foreign nationals who have no such relationship. How individuals will prove such a relationship, and whether the burden of proof will be on the government or the individuals seeking entry, was not made clear.

This remains a fluid situation. We will update this message with any significant changes, as appropriate.

As the U.S. member body to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) advises that individuals from these now six countries who are intending to travel to the United States to attend ISO or IEC Technical Committee (TC), Subcommittee (SC), Working Group (WG) or related meetings, seek appropriate guidance from an immigration attorney as well as from their national governments and national standard organizations before traveling.