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President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday temporarily blocking the issuance of green cards to those outside the United States, but the measure includes numerous exemptions, like those for overseas spouses and young children of American citizens. The order, which will be in place for at least 60 days, will affect thousands of parents, adult children and siblings of citizens seeking to immigrate to the United States. (Kanno-Youngs, 4/22)

President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that he had signed an executive order “temporarily suspending immigration into the United States.” But experts say the order will merely delay the issuance of green cards for a minority of applicants. Trump said his move was necessary to help Americans find work in an economy ravaged by the coronavirus. “This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens,” he said. (Colvin and Spagat, 4/23)

Some critics saw Republican Trump’s announcement as a move to take advantage of the coronavirus crisis to implement a long-sought policy goal of barring more immigrants in line with his “America first” platform. “In order to protect our great American workers I have just signed an executive order temporarily suspending immigration into the United States. This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens,” Trump said at his daily news conference about the coronavirus at the White House. (Hesson, Holland and Mason, 4/22)

Trump said his order will shield Americans from the virus while also protecting American jobs at a time of excessively high unemployment and economic uncertainty. It will put a halt on employment-based immigration visas as well as the family-based categories for parents and siblings, which the president has often derided as “chain migration.” (Miroff, Sacchetti and Hernandez, 4/22)

Meanwhile —

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said last week that undocumented immigrants, who comprise about a tenth of California’s workforce, will be able to draw on a $125 million public-private fund. Minneapolis is offering $5 million in assistance to tenants and small businesses, regardless of their immigration status. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot recently extended the city’s coronavirus-relief benefit programs, including aid for housing and for small businesses, to undocumented immigrants. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says a fund for immigrants is “something we want to look at.” (Rainey and Landergan, 4/22)