Though there are exceptions, the message is clear that immigrants are not welcome

Atlanta, GA, April 23, 2020 — Last night, President Trump signed a presidential proclamation suspending the majority of immigrant visas into the United States for the next 60 days under the guise of protecting American jobs. In particular, family reunification and diversity visas are shut down, and the President has indicated that the ban could be extended.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:

“Trump’s new immigration ban is an attempt to distract from his failed response to COVID-19 and manipulates the pandemic to justify his and Stephen Miller’s white nationalist agenda.

Congress designed our immigration system around the value that families deserve to be together, and family-based immigration is responsible for many of the strong, vibrant, and diverse Asian American communities today. As 92% of Asian Americans are immigrants or the children of immigrants, Asian American communities will be greatly impacted by this ban. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents will not be able to reunify with their parents, adult children, and siblings.

The United States has already seen a rise in anti-Asian hate after the President insisted on calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus.” This Proclamation will continue to fuel acts of hate against Asian Americans. We are committed to standing up for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, while standing in solidarity with other communities of color, to fight this abuse of power.”

Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation's members are: Advancing Justice | AAJC (Washington, D.C.), Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Advancing Justice - Atlanta, and Advancing Justice - Chicago