Issues Immigrants are Having with the US Borders Closing
With President Trump’s executive order going on effective, many people have criticized the move while many people have come out in support. The executive order restricts the entry of certain categories of immigrants in the US, which wasn’t exactly conveyed clear enough, and the reason for that is Trump’s tweet.
On 21st April, Trump Tweeted:
“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!”
Trump’s announcement via a tweet on his intent to sign the executive order for the suspension of immigration to the US seemed to be premature. He declared the order to the public without the policy being completely ready to be implemented, as pointed out by The Washinton Post.
The order is said to be in effect for temporary measures.
“Whenever appropriate, but no later than 50 days from the effective date of this proclamation, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Labor, recommend whether I should continue or modify this proclamation,” the order reads.
Let’s take a look at how the public is going to be affected by this executive order coming into effect.
People affected by the executive order:
- Who are seeking employment-based immigration visas
- Who are seeking family-based immigration – parents, siblings, spouses, children – a system Trump and other critics call “chain migration”
- The Diversity Visa Lottery is frozen which issues about 50,000 green cards annually
Exceptions to the executive orders include:
- Immigrants already living and working in the country
- Immigrants already living in the country and seeking legal permanent residency
- Essential services like medical professionals, farmworks, temporary nonimmigrant visas
- Spouses and underage children of US citizens
Employment Issues
People wanting to enter the US for employment with a work visa will not be able to do so while the immigration ban continues. This does not apply to people who are already living and working in the country.
Increasing Issues of Racism
Racism is an ever-present issue, but the current state has given people a channel to be openly racist in lieu of panic and fear. Immigrants are usually the target of such public panic. Chinese people are the ones to face the major brunt of this.
The reporting of the pandemic brings Chinese people in the limelight for people to fear and act out against.
People being Stranded
People who were sent back to Mexico under the “Remain in Mexico” program will now have to wait to know the outcome of their asylum applications in the US.
Trump has also put a travel ban from China and Europe, as explained by Jean Danhong Chen, the US has restricted non-citizens who have been physically present in China at any point in the last 14 days from traveling to the country, excluding green card holders, their spouses, and immediate families.
People seeking asylum, wanting to travel back to the US, applying for visas are all feeling stranded because of this executive order.
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