CBCFEXECUTIVEORDERTRACKER
DateIssued:February6,2026 ProtectingtheNationalSecurityandWelfareofthe UnitedStatesanditsCitizensfromCriminalActors andOtherPublicSafetyThreats ExecutiveOrder#14385
Topic:Immigration,CriminalJustice,LawEnforcement
WHATDOESTHISEXECUTIVEORDERDO?
Thisexecutiveorderauthorizesfederalofficialstoexchangesensitive criminalrecordswithothercountriesinanefforttoapprehendconvicted criminalsattemptingtoentertheU.S.
HOWWILLTHISEXECUTIVEORDERBEENFORCED?
ThisexecutiveorderwillprimarilybeenforcedbytheDepartmentof JusticeandtheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity.
ThisexecutiveorderinstructstheAttorneyGeneral(AG)togivethe DepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS)accesstoallcriminalhistory recordinformation(CHRI)intheDepartmentofJustice’spossession.
TheorderallowstheSecretaryofHomelandSecuritytoexchangeCHRI withforeigncountriesreciprocallyforthesolepurposeofscreening travelersandprospectiveimmigrantsundertheVisaWaiverProgram (VWP).TheVWPenablescitizensandlegalresidentsofforeigncountries tovisittheUSforupto90dayswithoutavisa.
TheorderoutlinesthattheexchangeofCHRImustbeapartofalarger bilateralormultilateralagreementandincludeunspecifiedsafeguardsto protect“UnitedStatespersons.”
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
ThisexecutiveordercarriesseriousconsequencesforBlackUScitizens andimmigrants.ItgrantstheDepartmentofHomelandSecurityand foreigngovernmentofficialsunprecedentedaccesstothecriminal historiesofUScitizensandresidents.Becausetheorderdoesnotdefine “USpersons,”itcreatesambiguityaboutwhomayultimatelybesubjectto itsprovisions.Althoughtheorderappearsnarrowlytailoredtoindividuals seekingtoenterorexittheUnitedStates,theTrumpAdministrationhas notoutlinedhowitwillhandletheCHRIitreceivesfromothercountries.
Ultimately,theordermergesfederallawenforcement,immigration enforcement,andbordersecurityfunctionswithlittleexplanationofthe privacyprotectionsthatwillapply.
Priortothisorder,theDepartmentofHomelandSecuritydidnothave accesstothecriminalrecordsofUScitizensorpermissiontosharethem withforeigngovernments.ThisissuedisproportionatelyaffectsBlack Americans,whoaremorelikelytobepolicedandincarceratedintheUS duetoinequitablelawenforcementpractices.Combinedwithexisting racialdisparitiesinthecriminallegalsystem,thisexecutiveordercould hinderBlackAmericans’abilitytotravelbycreatingissuesinthecustoms process.Amidthegrowing“Blaxit”movementofBlackAmericansliving abroad,thisordercouldstifletheabilityofBlackAmericanswithcriminal recordstovisitothercountriesinpursuitofahigherqualityoflife.
ThisorderwillalsohaveanimpactonBlacktravelersfromoutsidetheUS whohavecriminalrecords.In2019,PewResearchCenterreportedthat one-in-fiveBlackAmericanswereimmigrantsorthechildrenof immigrants.ThisordercouldpreventBlacktravelerswithcriminalrecords inothercountriesfromvisitingtheUSandseeingrelatives.
HOWDOESTHISIMPACTBLACKCOMMUNITIES?
ThisorderisevenmoredangerouswhenpairedwiththeTrump Administration’sotherimmigrationpolicies.TheTrumpAdministrationhas launchedmassiveraidsacrosstheUnitedStates,deportinganddetaining hundredsofthousandsofimmigrants.ImmigrationandCustoms Enforcement(ICE)andCustomsandBorderPatrol(CBP)officershave alsoharassedandkilledpeacefulprotestorsandU.S.citizensintheir effortstoimplementtheTrumpAdministration’simmigrationagenda.In fallof2025,PresidentTrumpissuedanexecutiveorderdeclaring“Antifa” asadomesticterroristorganization.WhilescholarsclassifyAntifaasa decentralizedleft-winganti-fascistandanti-racistmovement,itisnota registerednonprofitorcorporation,andtheorderpermitstheTrump Administrationtodefinewhoisamember.Asaresult,theWhiteHouse maytargetBlackpeopleprotestingnonviolently,declarethemasAntifa, andsubjectthemtoaDepartmentofJusticeinvestigation.Thisexecutive ordergoesastepfurtherbyallowingthegovernmenttoshare informationoncriticsoftheAdministrationwithforeigngovernmentsand potentiallyjeopardizetheirabilitytotravelfreely.
MembersoftheCongressionalBlackCaucus(CBC)havespokenout againsttheTrumpAdministration’simmigrationpolicies.InJanuary,Rep. YvetteD.Clarke,CongressionalBlackCaucusChair,issuedthefollowing statementinresponsetotheTrumpAdministration’ssuspensionof immigrantvisaprocessing:“TheCBCstronglycondemnstheTrump Administration’sdecisiontoindefinitelysuspendimmigrantvisa processingfrom75countries includingmanymajority-Blackcountries suchasHaitiandSomalia thathavetimeandagainbeensubjectedto racistpoliciesandattacksfromtheAdministration.TheTrump Administration’srationaleforsuspendingvisaprocessingrestsinparton thepatentlyfalseclaimthatimmigrantswhomakeAmericatheirhome areastrainonsocialsafetynetprograms.Thereissimplynoevidenceto supportthisclaim.[…]WearecallingontheAdministrationto immediatelyreversethisdecision,whichcouldhaveimmenseand devastatingeffectsonoureconomyandreputationaroundtheglobe.”
FullStatement