Summary of President Trump’s Executive Order on Immigration dated April 22, 2020

by Jonathan J. Urrutia, Esq. | April 23, 2020
President Trump has issued a Proclamation “suspending entry of immigrants” to the United States for the next 60 days.  President Trump’s Proclamation only affects individuals outside the United States seeking to enter the country as immigrants and who do not have a valid immigrant visa as of the effective date of the Proclamation, April 24, 2020, and who do not have another valid travel document. The Proclamation carves out certain exceptions:  Individuals who are already Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders);  Spouses and children (under 21) of U.S. Citizens (notably this exception does not include parents, siblings, and adult children of U.S. citizens, or spouses and children of Lawful Permanent Residents. These categories of immigrants will not be allowed to enter the United States for the next 60 days.);  Doctors, Nurses, and Healthcare Professionals working on COVID-19;  EB-5 Investors and National Interest Visa applicants;  Members of the Armed Forces;  SI or SQ Special Immigrants; and  Asylum seekers.
Notes: The suspension does not include, and should not affect, people already inside the United States seeking to adjust their status to Lawful Permanent Residents. However, it should be noted that since March 18, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has suspended in-person services (e.g. adjustment interviews) until May 3, 2020 or further notice. It should also be noted that there is currently a global do-not-travel warning by the Department of State, and for weeks now, before the issuance of this proclamation, most, if not all, U.S. consular offices around the world have been closed due to COVID-19. Thus, it is unclear how much, if any, immigration this proclamation will impede that was not already delayed by pandemic closures.