4/22: Final executive order signed

The final text of the executive order has now been released, and this version is much narrower in scope. For people who do not have a green card, do not have an immigrant visa, and do not have other travel documents issued by the U.S. government, such as a re-entry permit, applying for an immigrant visa from outside the United States will be temporarily barred. It does not affect adjustment of status for people already inside the U.S.

4/20: Trump tweets that he wants to suspend immigration

On the night of April 20, Trump tweeted that he wanted to temporarily stop immigration to protect U.S. interests:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1252418369170501639

That sparked a lot of discussion because no details were provided. On the morning of April 21, Bloomberg published a report broadly outlining the draft executive order, including:

  1. requiring H1B employers to again prove that they could not find U.S. workers to fill the position; and
  2. exempting healthcare workers and applicants in industries related to the food supply chain.

Then, at the White House press briefing on April 21, Trump gave a slightly more detailed explanation:

  1. this executive order would only suspend applications for permanent residency (that is, "green cards");
  2. the suspension would last 60 days, after which the administration would revisit whether changes or an extension were necessary; and
  3. nonimmigrant workers, such as those on H1B, OPT, or other work visas, would not be affected for now.

The reason Trump has given so far is that Americans should get first consideration as the economy reopens. But we also know that Trump's 2017 entry ban covering parts of the Middle East and North Korea, commonly referred to as the "Muslim ban," also started as a 90-day measure and has remained in effect through extensions, so the author is not especially optimistic.