The Obama administration eased visa rules for European travelers who visited hotspots in the Middle East and Africa, triggering backlash from congressional lawmakers who initially sought restrictions for security purposes. Two key Republicans had declared the administration as law-breaking by implementing said changes.
The revised requirements pertain to the changes passed by Congress in the Visa Waiver Program. Lawmakers sought brand new restrictions in order to tighten the program to prevent Europeans who had joined ISIS from entering the U.S. Under the new Visa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, nationals of particular countries such as Iran, Iraq, & Syria must now apply for a visa just to travel to the United States of America.
