Trump expands controversial travel ban restrictions to six new countries. President Donald Trump's administration on Friday added six countries to the controversial travel ban he put in place early in his term, a move that could potentially trigger another legal battle in a highly volatile election year. Department of Homeland Security officials said the administration will suspend issuing overseas visas for nationals of Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar and Nigeria. The agency said it would also place additional restrictions on Sudanese and Tanzanian nationals. The White House said the new countries fail to conduct "proper identity management" procedures or fail to "comply with basic national security" requirements. Ref. USAToday.
In the past year, the justices have let the administration deter poor immigrants, deny asylum seekers and redirect military funds to build a wall along the southern border. Federal officials' efforts to force cooperation from states and cities could be next. Source 2l.
President Trump announces suspension of immigration to 'protect jobs' amid the coronavirus pandemic. President Trump announced Monday he will sign an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States as a way to "Protect jobs" of American citizens. Ref. USAToday.
Trump is set to sign an executive order that would suspend temporary visas for foreign workers until the end of 2020. The order will apply to a variety of work visas used for many types of jobs, a move that the administration says could free up as many as 525,000 jobs to be filled by Americans. But immigration groups, which have been bracing for the order for days, argue that Trump is targeting immigrants to placate his political base. Ref. USAToday.
Trump might think that will help the job market but a lot of hired immigrants are either specialists at what they do or no one else is willing to do what they do. So just because you get rid of them it doesn't mean there is a replacement. We have the same immigrant program here in Canada.
International Level: Activist / Political Participation: 28 2.8%
Trump administration drops rule forcing international college students to leave US if their fall classes are only online. The abrupt decision to back away from the rule came after a backlash from colleges, states and major businesses who said the US should not force international students to leave. The about-face came a day after 18 state attorneys general sued the Department of Homeland Security over the rule. Ref. USAToday.
Did someone say it was an election year? *laugh* It is kind of silly anyways to have legit students through no fault of their own be asked to leave because colleges had to change the way they teach for a pandemic.
International Level: New Activist / Political Participation: 13 1.3%
- President Donald Trump plans to defend himself Tuesday with a speech in Alamo, Texas. Alamo is a small town on the Texas-Mexico border where Trump plans to discuss his immigration policy and promote his presidential legacy - a legacy very much tarnished by last week's attack on the U.S. Capitol building by enraged Trump supporters. The ostensible purpose of the visit is "To mark the completion of more than 400 miles of border wall - a promise made, promise kept - and his Administration’s efforts to reform our broken immigration system," said a White House statement. Ref. USAToday.