What is in the Executive Order Temporarily RestrictingImmigration for 60 Days?
What is in the Executive Order Temporarily RestrictingImmigration for 60 Days?
President Trump signed an Executive Order restricting immigration a week ago as part of his administrations’ response to Covid-19. The gist of it is to protect American workers who are unemployed, as well as for health care. Here is what is in it:
The order suspends immigrant visas as of April 23, 2020 for immigrants who are currently outside the U.S. and do not have a valid immigrant visa, or travel document as of April 23, 2020. This would include people applying for an immigrant visa under the diversity lottery, employment green cards, and certain family based visas. If you already are in the U.S. and are seeking a green card, this restriction does not apply to you.
The following is a list of exceptions in the order. In addition to not applying to nonimmigrant (temporary) visas, it does not apply to:
• Current green card holders
• Those seeking to come in as a health care professional, medical researcher, or other work related to combating the effects of COVID-19.
• Those applying for a visa under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, or the SI or SQ Special immigrant visa.
• A spouse or child of a U.S. citizen
• An immigrant who would help U.S. law enforcement objectives
• Member of the U.S. Armed Forces, or their spouses and children.
• Any immigrant whose entry would seem to be “in the national interest.”
This executive order does not limit the ability of individuals to seek asylum, refugee status, withholding of removal or protection under various humanitarian agreements. It is scheduled to expire 60 days from April 23, 2020, or on June 23, 2020. This order will be revisited within 50 days to see if it should be continued or modified, and in a month will be reviewed again in an effort to ensure U.S. workers currently unemployed be given priority in the hiring and employment process.
For more information, please contact our office for a free telephone consultation (15 minute) at 248-557-3645.
Sevahn Merian
Associate Attorney, Immigration Law Department
The Law Offices of Joumana Kayrouz, PLLC
phone: (248) 557-3645 fax: (248) 200-0645
email: smerian@joumanakayrouz.com
1000 Town Center, Suite 800 Southfield, MI 48075
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