Donald Trump signs executive order suspending immigration amid coronavirus crisis

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order pausing immigration for 60 days to protect the jobs of Americans laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The temporary suspension of immigration will affect those who are legally seeking entry into the United States for employment purposes but not the ones who are already living in the country, the order said.

Describing it as “a very powerful order” Trump told reporters during his daily news briefing at the White House on Wednesday that he signed the order before coming for the press briefing.

“By pausing immigration, we'll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens. It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labour flown in from abroad,” he said.

The executive order, a copy of which was released by the White House, said the new provisions apply to foreign nationals outside the US who do not have an immigrant visa that is valid on the effective date of proclamation.

It also applies to those foreign nationals who do not have an official travel document other than a visa that is valid on the effective date of proclamation or issued on any date thereafter that permits him or her to travel to the US and seek entry or admission.

The suspension, the executive order said, does not apply to those foreign nationals already inside the country on a green card. It provides exemptions to healthcare workers, or seeking to enter the US as a legal permanent resident under investment category.

Spouses of a US citizen, 21 years and younger kids of American nationals, or those who are under the process of being adopted are also exempted from this temporary suspension of immigration.

Trump said he was determined that, without this measure, the US faces a potentially protracted economic recovery with persistently high unemployment if labour supply outpaces labour demand.

“Excess labour supply affects all workers and potential workers, but it is particularly harmful to workers at the margin between employment and unemployment, who are typically 'last in' during an economic expansion and 'first out' during an economic contraction,” he said in his executive order.

“In recent years, these workers have been disproportionately represented by historically disadvantaged groups, including African Americans and other minorities, those without a college degree, and the disabled.

These are the workers who, at the margin between employment and unemployment, are likely to bear the burden of excess labour supply disproportionately,” he said.

The White House in a statement said that this is a temporary pause demanded by the crisis being faced as a nation.

“The pause will be in effect for 60 days, and the administration will continue to monitor the labour market to amend or extend the proclamation if needed,” it said.

“There will be exemptions for medical and other essential workers to combat the outbreak, spouses and minor children of American citizens, and certain other aliens,” it said.

Trump is also asking his administration to review guest worker programmes to assess whether additional measures should be taken to protect American workers.

The White House further said that mass migration of low-skilled labour into the US disproportionately harms historically disadvantaged Americans.