Donald Trump has announced a 60-day halt on issuing green card to immigrants and is likely to sign an executive order on immigration ban in the backdrop of COVID-19. The move that many condemn as a distraction, seems to be aimed at reviving the America first policy and cracking down on illegal immigration into the US. Complete Coverage: Coronavirus
Crux of the Matter
Trump’s Trumpet US President Trump announced he may sign an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration to the US. The move is likely to have a two-fold effect: a) Curb imported infections b) Reduce competition from outsiders
President Trump says his immigration ban will last 60 days and after will assess any "need for any extension or modification:" "It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labor flown in from abroad." pic.twitter.com/v0mKes9If5 — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 21, 2020
New York has ~30% of all 800,000 cases in the US as of 22nd April 2020. This severity is attributed to tourists and travelers from abroad. There were 44.7 million immigrants residing in the US in 2018.
I will be signing my Executive Order prohibiting immigration into our Country today. In the meantime, even without this order, our Southern Border, aided substantially by the 170 miles of new Border Wall & 27,000 Mexican soldiers, is very tight – including for human trafficking! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 22, 2020
Trump also said that restriction on the US border with Canada and Mexico for non-essential travel will be extended until at least mid-May. The US would evict all migrants encountered along the Mexico border for at least the coming month. However, people with temporary work visas, business travelers, and students are exempted from the immigration ban.
Red Card to Green Cards A day after Trump tweeted to halt immigration, he announced that all applications seeking permanent residency by foreign nationals would be put on halt for 60-days. The US issued nearly a million green cards last year. Of those million, nearly 50% had arrived to the US last year on green card. Residents of Mexico, India, China, Philippines, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic were the largest beneficiaries in the last year. Many see the move to be aimed at reviving the ‘America First’ campaign.
Curiopedia
A green card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently.
Green Cards are a legal way of immigrating to the US. Illegal immigration has been a matter of intense debate in the United States since the 1980s. Research shows that illegal immigrants increase the size of the U.S. economy/contribute to economic growth, enhance the welfare of natives, contribute more in tax revenue than they collect, reduce American firms’ incentives to offshore jobs and import foreign-produced goods, and benefit consumers by reducing the prices of goods and services.
The first “green card” appeared after World War II, when the Internal Security Act of 1950 required all immigrants with Alien Registration cards, to replace them with the new, green “Form I-151.” Then, perhaps because the Alien Registration Receipt Card was too long, everyone started calling it green card.
To fight document fraud, INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) redesigned the green card 17 times between 1952 and 1977. In 1964, for example, it changed to pale blue. These color changes helped immigration officials more quickly identify new and expired versions.
Curated Coverage
BBC – Coronavirus: Immigration to US to be suspended amid pandemic, Trump says
The Guardian – Trump announces 60-day ban on immigrants seeking permanent status in US
The Times – Donald Trump resurrects America First and immigration as key election issue
BBC – Coronavirus: US green cards to be halted for 60 days, Trump says
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