The Supreme Court has partially lifted the preliminary injunctions that barred the implementation of sections 2 and 6 of the Executive Order (“EO”) signed by President Trump on March 6, 2017, which suspends the entry to the U.S. of nationals from six designated countries (Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen). The EO’s U.S. entry suspension does not apply to any applicant who has a credible claim of a “bona fide relationship” with a person or entity in the U.S. The Department of State has clarified that relationships with a person must be a close familial relationship and those with an entity must be formal, documented, and formed in the ordinary course, rather than for the purpose of evading the EO.
Similarly, section 6 of the EO suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) for 120 days, except for cases where an applicant has a credible claim of a “bona fide relationship” with a person or entity in the U.S. Stay tuned for further updates.