President Donald Trump must soon decide whether to end, extend or change an April order that paused the issuing of green cards to certain people outside the United States, and this week is the deadline for cabinet members to give their recommendation.
The order was aimed at preventing immigrants from competing with citizens for jobs made scarce by COVID-19.
“Because it’s based in the economic crisis, and because our economy is still reeling from this event, I don’t see any option for the administration but to extend it,” said Sarah Pierce, policy analyst for the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.
The order also requires Cabinet members to have already told Trump if cutting the number of temporary guest workers and foreign students would help more citizens find jobs. Pierce said doing so could cause a financial hit to the fee-reliant Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is already seeking emergency funding over two years to make sure operations don't stop.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The story has been updated to show that Citizen and Immigration Service is seeking emergency funding over two years.
