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President Biden on Wednesday revoked a Trump-era suspension on certain immigrant visas that significantly curtailed legal immigration to the United States during the coronavirus pandemic.
When passed in April 2020, President Trump said the restrictions were necessary to prevent new immigrants from competing with American workers in the workforce during the economic recession caused by the pandemic.
Mr Trump used broad executive power to ban the issuance of certain visas to potential immigrants hoping to settle in the United States permanently through petitions filed by family members or potential employers in the United States. The restrictions also froze the Diversity Visa Lottery, a program that allows immigrants from under-represented countries, many in Africa, to come to the United States.
Spouses and children 21 and under of U.S. citizens were not subject to immigrant visa limits, which also exempted some healthcare workers battling the pandemic, as well as wealthy immigrants who agreed to d ‘invest over a million dollars in the United States.
In his own proclamation Wednesday, Biden said the Trump-era immigrant visa ban did not “advance the interests” of the country.
“On the contrary, it is hurting the United States, including preventing some family members of US citizens and lawful permanent residents from reuniting with their families here,” Biden wrote. “It also hurts industries in the United States which use talent from all over the world.”
The Biden administration had come under increasing pressure from advocates to rescind Mr. Trump’s immigration limits, which were due to expire on March 31. Groups supporting drastic cuts in legal immigration have backed Mr. Trump’s bans, arguing they protect American workers.
Mr Biden’s proclamation on Wednesday did not revoke another set of pandemic-era restrictions that Mr Trump instituted to halt certain guest worker programs, including H-1B visas, which are popular in the technology sector.
The restrictions, which have also suspended visas for au pairs, seasonal non-farm workers and other temporary workers, will expire at the end of March.
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