Marco Rubio, the new Secretary of State, halts refugee operations and intensifies visa screening.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is urging his department to halt refugee resettlement activities and intensify visa screening from specific areas, in accordance with President Donald Trump's directives.

The Department of State stopped refugee resettlement programs after Rubio was appointed as its secretary, according to a senior department source.

The department was instructed to intensify the screening process for visa applications originating from "high-risk areas."

The secretary cited new executive orders signed by Trump after his inauguration Monday.

Trump signed two executive orders: one to realign the United States Refugee Admissions Program and another to protect the country from foreign terrorists and other national security and public safety threats.

The latter order directs that the USRAP be suspended due to its negative impact on the country's interests, and calls for enhanced vetting of all aliens, particularly those from regions or nations with identified security risks.

Trump's executive order on refugees allows the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to decide on a case-by-case basis whether to admit aliens to the United States as refugees, but only if they determine it is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the country's security or welfare.

On Monday night, the Senate unanimously confirmed Rubio as the first Trump Cabinet member.

He was sworn in Tuesday morning, becoming the 72nd secretary of state.

In the department meeting on Tuesday, Rubio stated that there would be changes, but they were not intended to be harmful or punitive.

To become a 21st century agency that can adapt quickly to the changing world, we must move faster than ever before. This is necessary because the world is changing at an unprecedented pace. We must have a vision that some call "looking around the corner."

We must focus on our future plans for five, seven, ten, or fifteen years. The challenges we face today are unprecedented and have no historical precedent. Comparing them to another era or time is not enough, as things are moving at an unprecedented pace.

Immigration was a top campaign priority for Trump during the 2024 election.

In his first speech as president, Trump pledged to declare a national emergency at the southern border, immediately halt all illegal entry, and return millions of criminal aliens to their countries of origin. He also promised to reinstate his Remain in Mexico policy, end the practice of catch and release, and send troops to the southern border to repel an invasion.