As the US administration attempts to kick-start the economy and reduce unemployment after the slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, new restrictions on immigration, expanding those first unveiled by Donald Trump earlier this year, are reportedly on the way.
Ahead of his first presidential campaign rally since March, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Donald Trump sat down for an interview with Fox News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts.
The US President revealed that the White House would soon be announcing new guest worker visa restrictions, while also weighing in on the protests against racism and police brutality triggered by the death of African-American George Floyd.
Touching upon the growing unemployment figures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, that brought businesses to a standstill and forced consumer demand to plummet, Trump touted his administration’s efforts to remedy the situation.
At this point the president hinted as a forthcoming announcement on visas, saying:
When asked to elaborate, Trump reiterated the new measures would be applauded by many Americans.
While Trump has already barred many foreign workers during the coronavirus pandemic, immigration hardliners having been reportedly pressuring him to go further, broadening the 22 April executive order he signed, that barred several categories of green card applicants from entering the country for a period of 60 days. The order is subsequently to be reevaluated and potentially extended.
The ban excludes those who are in the country seeking to change their immigration status, and does not apply to seasonal farm workers on seasonal guest worker visas.
Immigrants walk along the rail tracks after getting off a train during their journey toward the US-Mexico border in Ixtepec, southern Mexico
Trump signed off on the order, citing “the impact of foreign workers on the United States labor market, particularly in an environment of high domestic unemployment and depressed demand for labor”.
The cited reasons for the move were pressures on health care and other factors.
Trump also doubled down on his earlier vow to rescind the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which granted legal protection to immigrants brought into the country illegally as children, thus shielding some 650,000 young people known as “Dreamers.”
United States Customs and Border Protection officers
However, on 18 June the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the DACA program was unconstitutional.
Nonetheless, Trump reiterated:
The president also added this would happen before November’s election.
Elsewhere in the interview, touting his supporters ahead of the rally, Trump addressed protests against racism and police brutality that have taken place following the death of African American man George Floyd, and the drive to target controversial monuments.
“That’s why I’m here, people want to do it. We had a lot of protesters that were nasty outside. I think the police did a very good job, but we had a lot of nasty protesters throwing things and screaming. They’re disgraceful. They’re a disgrace to our country,” he said.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
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