President Donald Trump listens during a briefing about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Monday, April 20, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump said that he will sign an executive order “to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States” because of the coronavirus.
“In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!” Trump tweeted late Monday.
He offered no details about which immigration programs might be affected by the order.
National security adviser Robert O'Brien on Tuesday cast the president's announcement as a move to protect the American people's health. O'Brien said the temporary halt to immigration would not be “dissimilar” to limits on travel to the U.S. from China that Trump put in place in January.
“We're trying to do everything, the president's trying to do everything he can to put the health of the American people first during this crisis,” O'Brien said on Fox News Channel. “So this is one step. It's not dissimilar to the restrictions on travel from China that he implemented back on Jan. 29 at the very outset of this public health crisis.”
O'Brien said the administration believes those travel restrictions saved lives.
Asked about Trump's reference to jobs, O'Brien referenced the virus' economic toll.
“There’s been an economic cost here, too, and the president’s looking out for Americans on both fronts at every turn,” he said.
Trump has taken credit for his restrictions on travel to the U.S. from China and hard-hit European countries, arguing the restrictions contributed to slowing the spread of the virus in the U.S. But he has not extended those restrictions to other nations now experiencing virus outbreaks.
Due to the pandemic, almost all visa processing by the State Department, including immigrant visas, has been suspended for weeks.
Almost 800,000 Americans have come down with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and more than 42,000 have died, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
As we move into the colder months in the U.S., health experts are warning of a more active flu season than last year, sounding the alarm on what many are calling a 'twindemic.' Dr. Syra Madad, infectious disease epidemiologist, joined Cheddar's 'Search for the Cure' to discuss the intersection of the flu season with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Schools across the country could expect to see billions of dollars towards providing a more accessible Universal Pre-K program. Steven Barnett, Board of Governors Professor and Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, joined Cheddar News to discuss more.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals court temporarily held up President Biden's vaccine mandate for workplaces with more than 100 employees as the various lawsuits challenging it are combined. Marjorie Mesidor, a partner at the law firm Phillips & Associates, PLLC, joined Cheddar to break down the arguments in play. "They [the Biden Administration] say we have the authority to do this under the broad powers that are given under OSHA," she said. "What the Republic side then is saying, no, this is overbroad."
The UN climate summit wrapped up over the weekend after days of negotiations over the summit's final agreement. The agreement pushes countries to reassess their climate goals by the end of next year, do more for countries facing the worst effects of climate change, and also calls for a "phase down" of coal and other fossil fuel subsidies. The White House praised the agreement, but underscored the feelings of many world leaders by saying it isn't enough.
Deborah Brosnan, climate expert and president of Deborah Brosnan and Associates, joined Cheddar's News Wrap to discuss.
President Biden is under some pressure from members of his own party over rising gas prices. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for the president to utilize oil reserves to lower gas prices ahead of the holiday season, as gas prices are currently at a seven-year high. Energy Workforce & Technology Council CEO Leslie Beyer joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
The men's brand Harry's is teaming up with Stop Soldier Suicide and Headstrong to help provide mental health support with a $500,000 financial commitment. The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan triggered a range of mental health responses from veterans and active service members, as well as displaced refugees who are now acclimating to a new way of life. Maggie Hureau, Harry's head of social impact, joined Cheddar News to talk about the partnership and why Harry's chose to get involved in mental health care.
Inflation has risen to its highest level in 31 years, sending consumer prices on everything from groceries to gas to rent surging. For many businesses, that's good news as inflation typically means better profit margins. According to data from FactSet, nearly two out of three of the biggest U.S. publicly traded companies have reported fatter profit margins so far this year compared to the same stretch of 2019, before the pandemic. Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist for Oxford Economics, breaks down how the top businesses are reaping the benefits of inflation, and when consumers can expect inflation to ease.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is facing a lawsuit from Ohio's attorney general Dave Yost, who said the company misled the public about safety on the platform.
Cases of covid-19 are climbing in the Upper Midwest, Southwest, and parts of the Northeast. The seven-day national average is sitting at roughly 82,000 new cases which is an 11 percent jump from the week before. Dr. Amesh Adalja, Infectious Disease, Specialist, Sr. Scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss this recent uptick ahead of the holiday season.
