US lifts ban on 11 high-risk' refugee countries; now much tougher scrutiny

Washington: The United States has announced it was lifting its ban on refugees from 11 “high-risk” countries, but said those seeking to enter the US would come under much tougher scrutiny than in the past.

Applicants from 11 countries, unnamed but understood to include 10 Muslim-majority nations plus North Korea, will face tougher “risk-based” assessments to be accepted.

“It’s critically important that we know who is entering the United States,” said Homeland security secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

“These additional security measures will make it harder for bad actors to exploit our refugee programme, and they will ensure we take a more risk-based approach to protecting our homeland.”

The 11 countries, hit with a ban in October in the Trump administration’s revised refugee policy, have not been identified officially. But refugee groups say they comprise Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. A senior administration official said the policy of enhanced security assessments was not to target Muslims.