Trump: Two-month immigration suspension will include green card applicants
The 60-day ban on immigration to the United States will also apply to permanent resident applications. In announcing the decision, Trump emphasized that priority is given to domestic workers. At the same time, another $480 billion economic stimulus package passed the Senate.
With the agreement of Democratic and Republican senators, another $480 billion economic stimulus package was allocated to combat the devastating effects of the coronavirus. $60 billion of this amount will be spent on emergency loans, $75 billion on health care and $25 billion on medical research related to the coronavirus.
The package was passed with much debate. Democrats said they would only vote for it if it included more money for health care and coronavirus testing. They also wanted more funding for states and cities hardest hit by the pandemic.
The latest package must also be voted on in the House of Representatives. The US Treasury Department says the $480 billion package will likely be the last bailout.
The US Congress passed a $2 trillion economic stimulus package in March, which will be used to support small and medium-sized businesses or provide direct financial assistance to families. A week earlier, a $350 million package was approved to help employers financially.
At the same time, Donald Trump announced that the 60-day suspension of immigration to the United States will also include people seeking permanent residency in the country. The restriction will not apply to temporary residents and work visas.
Trump cited a sense of commitment to the American workforce in the face of the coronavirus pandemic as the reason for the decision. He noted that his country's labor market has been severely damaged by the pandemic, noting that millions of people have lost their jobs in recent weeks. "It would be dishonest and wrong to replace them with foreign workers," Trump said.
A two-month immigration ban could preserve key medical resources for American citizens.
Trump reminded the White House press conference that at the end of the 60 days, he will make the appropriate decisions to review or continue the suspension. He also said that there are exceptions to the suspension.
When announcing the decision on Twitter, the US president stressed the need to protect American businesses from the “invisible enemy.” However, in early March, he officially said that everything was under control and there was no need to worry.
Critics of the Trump administration and some media outlets say Washington failed to respond to warnings in a timely manner and was slow to manage the disease. Immigrant rights advocates believe that Trump's new decision is an election-related one.
So far, 22 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits.
As of Tuesday, April 21, the number of coronavirus deaths in the United States had reached 44,000.
Source: DW
