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Coronavirus infections

Trump Administration Pushes for Sweeping Immigration Restrictions Amid Pandemic

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Trump administration is moving to limit immigration to the United States, capitalizing on the COVID-19 pandemic to push through restrictions that were previously met with skepticism. The push has been led by Stephen Miller, Trump's lead immigration adviser, who has long advocated for reducing immigration levels. Miller's efforts are backed by conservative groups, including the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which has been urging the administration to take stronger action to reduce immigration.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Trump administration is developing follow-up actions to limit the number of guest workers, including H-1B visas for highly-skilled workers and H-2B visas for temporary non-agricultural jobs.
  • Conservative groups, such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform, have been urging the administration to take stronger action to reduce immigration.
  • Republican Senators Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, Chuck Grassley, and Josh Hawley have called for new guest worker visas to be put on hold for 60 days.
  • The administration has proceeded with other immigration restrictions, including quickly expelling migrants encountered at the southern border under new coronavirus restrictions.
  • Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan has suggested that the restrictions would continue to stay in place, even as the United States moves toward re-opening.

Statistics:

  • 15,862 people were apprehended on the southern border in April, with 14,416 quickly expelled from the US under a public health order.
  • The CDC team compiled data on migration flows to demonstrate how the virus might travel north from Mexico through the end of March.
  • The US Centers for Disease and Prevention cited no "demonstrable" public health reason to close the southern border in the early weeks of the pandemic.
  • According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, "Everybody has their people within the administration that are their go-to people that will represent their voice no matter what side you're on."

Sources:

  • Byline: Priscilla Alvarez, Nick Valencia and Kevin Liptak, CNN
  • CNN
  • The New York Times
  • Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf
  • Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan
  • Federal health official

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