WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has signed an order to temporarily block some immigrants from permanent residence in the United States, arguing the controversial move would help Americans find work again during the coronavirus pandemic.
The order is set to last for 60 days and then will be reviewed and possibly extended. Trump’s announcement is seen as a move to take advantage of the coronavirus crisis to implement a long-sought policy goal of barring more immigrants ahead of the presidential election.
“In order to protect our great American workers, I have just signed an executive order temporarily suspending immigration into the United States. This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens,” Trump said at his daily news conference about the coronavirus at the White House.
Trump won the presidency in 2016 in part on a promise to crack down on immigration and has made the issue central to his presidency. Many of his moves trying to curb immigration have been challenged in court and this executive order could also face lawsuits.
The order would only apply to people applying for permanent residence from outside the US, not those already in the country seeking to adjust their status. The measure also limits the ability of current green card holders to sponsor their extended families.
Trump said the order initially would last for 60 days and could be renewed for the same period or longer, and that a second immigration-focused order was under consideration.
Trump made the announcement on Tuesday in a statement on Twitter that immigration would be suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. He later told reporters at the White House the suspension would come into force through an executive order.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) granted lawful permanent residence to around 577,000 individuals in 2019. According to official data, the US government issued 462,000 visas in 2019, a major drop from the 617,000 visas granted in 2016 under Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama.
The Supreme Court has in recent months offered several significant victories to the Trump administration in cases relating to immigration. A month ago, the high court allowed the federal government to maintain a policy that will send more than 60,000 asylum seekers back to Mexico.
The ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy unveiled in December 2018 and implemented a month later calls for non-Mexican asylum seekers who attempt to enter the US via that country to stay there while their cases are being decided.
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