Trump putting hold on new green cards

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he will sign an executive order temporarily suspending some avenues of immigration into the United States. Specifically, the administration will no longer allow those seeking permanent residency to get green cards for the next 60 days. After two months, the administration will reevaluate whether or not to continue the policy.

Why the halt on green cards? It will “help unemployed Americans be first in line for jobs as America reopens,” the president said. The order is not the full immigration ban some expected after his initial announcement on Twitter on Monday. The United States may still issue visas for temporary employees, though many embassies overseas have stopped processing those applications during the pandemic. Trump may sign the order as soon as Wednesday.

Dig deeper: Read Mindy Belz’s report in Globe Trot on governments’ extending travel lockdowns.