Trump Executive Order Minimizes U.S. Privacy Act Protections For Non-U.S. Citizens

U.S. President Trump's recent executive orders have received significant attention. Among the recent changes, the January 25 executive order, Enhancing Public Safety In the Interior of the United States, includes a provision relating to the security of personal information of non-U.S. citizens held by U.S. departments or agencies. Specifically, the order states:

Agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, ensure that their privacy policies exclude persons who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents from the protections of the Privacy Act regarding personally identifiable information. 

What You Need To Know

• U.S. government executive departments and agencies are expected to exempt personal information of individuals who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents from federal public sector Privacy Act protections.