‘Invisible Enemy’, job protection for Americans: Trump to suspend immigration into the US

More than 22 million people have filed for unemployment benefits in last four weeks of stay-at-home lockdowns in force in most parts of the United States amid the Covid-19 crisis.

President Donald Trump on Monday said he is temporarily suspending immigration to protect American jobs threatened by the dire economic consequences of the coronavirus outbreak.

File photo taken on March 3, 2020 shows a closed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) building and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) field office (AFP File)

“In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” the American president said in a post on twitter Monday evening.

More than 22 million people have filed for unemployment benefits in last four weeks of stay-at-home lockdowns in force in most parts of the United States.

It was not immediately clear from President Trump’s tweet what kind of immigrants would be impacted — new immigrants are mostly those applying for Green Cards on professional and family visas, refugees and asylum seekers.

But temporary foreign workers hired on H-1B, tourists and business visitors — the most popular visas for Indians — are unlikely to be impacted because they are on non-immigrant visas.

The order is likely to be challenged in court, said industry sources.