Middle East

Since Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order prohibiting the issuing of visas to seven Muslim-majority countries (approximately 134 million people) has produced an international uproar, with many citizens and world leaders speaking out against the announcement. However, the epicentre of backlash has come from the barring of refugees in America—specifically war-torn Syrian refugees. Below is a summary of Trump’s executive order:

 

1. Syria

The order directs the State Department to halt the processing of Syrian refugees as well as to stop issuing visas to Syrian nationals altogether. This remains in effect indefinitely until Trump decides that potential terrorists won’t be able to exploit weaknesses in the immigrant screening methods.

2. Refugees

The order imposes a four-month suspension on refugee processing. This excludes those who are claiming religious persecution, whose religion is a minority faith in their country. This means that Christians fearing persecutions in Muslim-majority countries would still be processed. The suspension to refugee admittance is intended to allow Trump to review the vetting process of these immigrants before admission to the U.S.
Trump has also decreased the total number of world refugees the U.S. plans to accept in 2017 by 50%, down to 50,000 from the 110,000 set by former president Barack Obama.

3. Vetting system

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is ordered to review the refugee application process and suggest improvements on security measures to avert would-be terrorists from applying as refugees.

4. Other

Trump’s order suspends all immigration from seven countries alleged to have terrorism concerns for a period of 90 days. The following countries have been affected by this suspension: Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen. However, it doesn’t stop there. DHS is instructed to review what information is required to fully examine visitors to the U.S., and countries that don’t begin providing this information within 60 days will be added to the list of those barred from entering America.

Choose Canada

For a handful of countries, the admittance of Syrian refugees has been an ongoing process with Germany, Canada, and Jordan at the forefront of humanitarian efforts to resettle individuals and families fleeing the country’s six-year long civil conflict.

Since November 4th of 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has personally welcomed 39,671 Syrian refugees to Canada, with over 350 communities helping with resettlement. To date, more than 17,000 refugee applications for Canadian resettlement remain pending in screening and processing stages.
According to Pew Research, the United States received approximately 12,500 Syrian refugees in 2016, earning a total of 3 million refugees admitted since the Refugee Act of 1980 was first instated. Trump’s decree on the future of U.S. immigration and refugee policy has quickly drawn attention not only throughout America, but the international community as well.

In response to Trump’s recent executive order, Trudeau viewed the administration’s move as a necessary call to action. On Saturday night, Trudeau tweeted the words: “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada.”

Canada is now the ultimate choice for investment and settlement.

For more information on Canadian immigration programs, please click here.

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