READ: Trump Signs Proclamation Temporarily Suspending Immigration
President Trump signed a proclamation Wednesday "temporarily suspending immigration into the United States" in what he calls a response to the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
"This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens," Trump said at the White House Wednesday.
The proclamation, which Trump first announced in a late-night tweet Monday, suspends immigration for people seeking green cards for 60 days.
The suspension applies to individuals who, as of Wednesday, are outside of the United States, do not have an immigrant visa and do not have official travel documents other than visas.
There are exceptions for permanent residents of the U.S., along with spouses and the children of U.S. citizens. The suspension also does not apply to individuals seeking to enter the country on an immigrant visa as a health care professional or medical researcher working to combat the coronavirus.
In a statement, Trump said he was asking the administration to review guest-worker programs to assess if more steps were needed to protect American workers.
When asked on Tuesday how the administration would decide on whether to extend the order past 60 days, Trump said he'll use the economy as
