For Immediate Release-
Contact: Emily Porter
Email: emily@paaia.org
Phone: (202) 828-8370
Washington, DC – President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) yesterday suspending entry of immigrants into the United States effective today. The EO aims to deny entry to all categories of immigrants seeking entry into the United States for at least sixty days with very few exceptions. Further, the order allows the secretaries of the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security to review nonimmigrant programs and recommend measures within 30 days that could suspend nonimmigrant categories as well.
In response to the EO, the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) issues the following statement:
While our immediate concern is for the health and well-being of Americans amid the coronavirus pandemic, PAAIA echoes the sentiments of policy experts and others who find the EO suspending immigration an ineffective tool to curb U.S. unemployment and protect the U.S. workforce in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Studies have repeatedly shown that unemployment rates decrease as immigration rates increase. We are further troubled that the order provides no meaningful process for when the immigration ban would be lifted and fear the possibility that this may become a permanent policy similar to previous immigration Executive Orders issued by the administration such as the harmful Travel Ban.
PAAIA reminds the administration that many immigrants are on the frontlines of battling this virus, fighting for the health and safety of Americans. We will continue to encourage the administration to pursue more effective approaches to curb unemployment and restart the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.”
April 23, 2020