On Wednesday, President Trump issued a proclamation suspending and limiting entry of legal immigrants to the United States for a period of 60 days. The proclamation, effective in the late hours of yesterday, indicates the temporary suspension of entry for new permanent residents is due to the inadequacy of existing immigrant visa processing protections, strain on healthcare resources, and the desire to limit additional competition for scarce jobs during this time of record unemployment. The President identifies the purpose of this proclamation as two-fold: reduce the likelihood of a prolonged economic recovery that could result if labor supply continues to outpace the demand for labor; and reduce the demands on consular officers amidst staffing disruptions. Several exclusions are contained within the proclamation, including exclusions for certain family members of U.S. citizens, members of the Armed Forces, and those seeking to enter as medical professionals or others who would perform work essential to alleviating the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. The specific provisions and exclusions of the proclamation are available here.
RCRC is working with our federal advocate to determine the status of vital agricultural workers and what allowances can be made for them to enter the country to assist with harvests and food processing.