Read on Twitter
Travel ban revocation EO is up: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/proclamation-ending-discriminatory-bans-on-entry-to-the-united-states/. It revokes EOs 13780 (travel ban 2.0), Proclamation 9645 (the version the Supreme Court deemed legal), Proclamation 9723 (removing Chad) and Proclamation 9983 (Africa ban)
It directs @StateDept to report # of applicants who are waiting for waivers to the now-revoked travel bans, have a plan to "expeditiously" adjudicate their apps, and allow immigrant applicants previously denied to have their apps reconsidered
It also calls for a 120-day review of screening/vetting procedures, and "an evaluation of the usefulness of form DS-5535." That's the form the @StateDept put in place under Trump, which asked for far more social media information from certain applicants https://tr.usembassy.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/91/DS-5535-Supplemental-Questions-For-Visa-Applicants.pdf
Here's my story from nearly four years ago on the DS 5535 form and the concerns over what it would mean for travelers to the U.S. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-visa/trump-administration-approves-tougher-visa-vetting-including-social-media-checks-idUSKBN18R3F8
Biden EO deals w Trump admin's stated rationale for travel ban-that it spurred govts to share info on citizens. EO directs agencies to assess what that information sharing looks like, and how the US "ensures the accuracy/reliability of the information provided by foreign govts"
EO casts some shade at the idea of using social media info in vetting/screening
One Trump practice that I'll be watching to see if it continues is @StateDept publishing monthly stats on visa issuances, rather than just yearly. Those helped us track the impact of the ban and enabled stories like this one by @nahaltoosi + @tedhesson https://www.politico.com/interactives/2018/trump-travel-ban-visas-decline/
