In a late night tweet on April 20, President Trump announced that he would be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States. As has become customary with this Administration, the President’s rule via tweet fiat contained no details as to whom this Executive Order would affect, and the White House has yet to provide further clarification as to the Order’s content, timing, or legal justification.
Members of the administration with knowledge of the potential Executive Order have spoken to outlets such as the New York Times on background, indicating that the Executive Order may target those seeking immigrant and work visas from outside the United States. These reports also preview a potential expansion of travel restrictions beyond those in place for China, Europe, and Iran. However, until the Executive Order is released, we will not know exactly how it will affect individuals within and outside the United States.
In addition to the material harm this Order will undoubtedly cause members of the immigrant community (as well as the businesses that employ them), announcements of this nature serve to create anxiety and unrest amongst the clients we serve. We at Green and Spiegel remain dedicated to advising our clients during these difficult times, and are always just an email or call away if you have any questions as to how this Executive Order and COVID-19, generally, may affect you.
