Trump, "60-Day Immigration Restriction Implemented"... Migrant Workers Maintained (Comprehensive)

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] On the 21st (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would implement immigration restrictions for 60 days, suspending the issuance of certain green cards to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect jobs. It is expected that tens of thousands of people planning to enter the U.S. through obtaining green cards will be affected.

President Trump stated this during the COVID-19 task force press conference and said that the decision on whether to extend the period will be made later.

President Trump explained, "As we move forward, we will increasingly protect American workers, and the new immigration suspension will also help preserve critical medical resources for U.S. citizens."

He also mentioned that additional immigration-related measures to protect American workers will be reviewed. This is interpreted as a decision to limit immigration within a certain scope, contrary to concerns that a sweeping immigration ban would be announced after President Trump declared via a late-night tweet the previous day that he would ban immigration to protect American jobs.

Major foreign media reported, citing officials, that President Trump is pushing an executive order to ban immigration for a certain period targeting foreigners seeking to obtain U.S. green cards.

They also reported that separate measures will be taken regarding restrictions applied to foreign workers, such as the H1B visa, which allows foreigners to work temporarily in the U.S.

The New York Times reported that President Trump withdrew the suspension of migrant worker programs considering opposition from businesspeople. The Times explained that this decision reflects concerns that blocking migrant workers could lead to labor shortages in industries like distribution, which are already shaken by COVID-19, as well as shortages in advanced technology personnel.

Despite this measure, it is reported that U.S. citizens bringing their children and spouses to the U.S. will still be allowed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.