Trump says he will suspend all immigration to the US amid coronavirus crisis

US President Donald Trump says he will be signing an executive order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

The purported move is designed to protect US citizens after the coronavirus has spread rapidly in the country in recent months.

Shutting down immigration will also protect American jobs, the president claimed.

“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," Mr Trump said in a tweet early Tuesday afternoon, AEST.

He has previously referred to the coronavirus as the "invisible enemy".

He offered no details as to what immigration programs might be affected by the order. The White House did not immediately elaborate on Mr Trump’s tweeted announcement.

Mr Trump has taken credit for his restrictions on travel to the US from China and hard-hit European countries, arguing it contributed to slowing the spread of the virus in the US.

But he has yet to extend those restrictions to other nations now experiencing virus outbreaks.

The United States has by far the world's largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 774,000 infections, up 20,000 as of Monday, local time.

It is also among the worst hit countries in terms of deaths per capita. So far the US has registered more then 42,000 COVID-19 deaths nationwide.

The US economy has ground to a standstill due to the coronavirus and more than 22 million people have applied for unemployment benefits in the past month.

Critics of Donald Trump have accused him of flaming xenophobic tensions during his 2016 run for the White House, with some suggesting a similar motive ahead of the presidential election in November.

A major part of the president’s platform was a promise to curb immigration by building a wall on the US border with Mexico.

When asked by Reuters, the White House declined to offer further details about the reasoning behind the decision, its timing, or its legal basis.

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‘Dumb move’: Swift backlash to announcement

Texas congressman Joaquin Castro was among the many politicians in the US to swiftly denounce the announcement.

“This action is not only an attempt to divert attention away from Trump’s failure to stop the spread of the coronavirus and save lives, but an authoritarian-like move to take advantage of a crisis and advance his anti-immigrant agenda. We must come together to reject his division,” he said.

Those concerns were echoed by former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro who tweeted: “You cut off immigration, you crater our nation's already weakened economy. It’s that simple ... What a dumb move.”

It comes as protests continue to break out in states across the country, with angry Americans demonstrating against economy-hurting lockdown measures.

Mr Trump has egged on the protests, many of which have reportedly been backed and organised by conservative and rightwing groups.

In mid-March the US suspended all routine visa services, both immigrant and non-immigrant, in most countries worldwide due to the coronavirus outbreak in a move that has potentially impacted hundreds of thousands of people.

The administration recently announced an easing of rules to allow in more agricultural workers on temporary H2A visas to help farmers with their crops.

- with Reuters and AP

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