On April 20, 2020, President Donald Trump noted in a tweet that he plans to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States. One of the reasons he cited was that he needed to protect American citizens’ jobs during a time of economic crisis. This is the first time that immigration to the United States will be fully stopped.
Unfortunately, suspending immigration means that families who have been waiting for their reunion might not happen for a while. There isn’t any indication as to how long he will keep the suspension active, so it’s likely best to establish a long-term plan.
It also isn’t clear how the order could change life for people who reside here on green cards or how border crossings will be impacted. There is a chance that not much will change. As it stands, most refugees aren’t coming into the country because of current orders. Still, the tweet received some flack from immigrant advocates who noted that properly documented immigrants aren’t really a problem.
For individuals who currently have an immigration petition pending, staying current on what’s going on in the U.S. is beneficial so that you know when things change again. It’s also a good idea to continue to monitor your mail for correspondence that might impact your petition. You’ll still need to comply with deadlines listed in these.
Working with someone who is familiar with immigration law and the most current policies might be beneficial since things are changing rapidly in this area of the law. The last thing anyone who is pursuing lawful immigration needs to do is make a misstep that will affect their ability to successfully come into this country.