Donald Trump defends suspension of green card applications till year end

US President Donald Trump defended his decision to suspend issuing green cards till the end of the year after major tech leaders denounced the latest move. Speaking to reporters in San Luis, Arizona on June 23, Trump said that the US government wants to give priority to Americans in the aftermath of coronavirus outbreak.

“So, we want to give jobs to Americans right now. Right now, we want jobs going to Americans," said Trump.

In April, Trump signed an executive order to temporarily halt immigration into the country for 90 days, which has now been extended till December 2019. The executive order will impact the immigrants seeking permanent residency as a curb has been implemented on the issuance of new green card.

However, it will not affect those who already have valid visas or travel documents and also exempts those individuals who are seeking to permanently enter the US as a medical professional or researcher. The other exemptions are made for members of the armed forces, people seeking asylum or refugee status, and children being adopted by American parents.

Read: America's Economic Recovery May Be Delayed: Tech Giants Oppose Trump's H1B Visa Suspension

Curb on H-1B visa

Trump has also temporarily suspended employment-based nonimmigrant visas and signed a proclamation to reform the H-1B immigration program. The White House said in a statement that the Trump Administration will reform the immigration system to “prioritise the highest-skilled workers and protect American jobs”.

While the White House claimed that the order won’t undercut the US labour market, tech leaders including Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai expressed disappointment over the proclamation. Pichai, an immigrant himself, said that immigrants have immensely contributed to the United States’ success and that he was disappointed by President Trump's order. Pichai added that the US has become a global leader in technology because of contribution from immigrants.

Read: Apple CEO Tim Cook 'deeply Disappointed' Over Trump's H-1B Visa Suspension

(Image: AP)