WASHINGTON (April 27, 2020)—The latest White House executive order banning immigration for 60 days is based on unconvincing evidence and is yet another example of the Trump administration using the COVID-19 pandemic to pander to its base, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
Below is a statement by Ken Kimmell, president of UCS.
“In this moment, we need political leadership to heal the country and make smart investments to rebuild the economy; the divisive executive order banning immigration does neither. An exception for ‘medical and other essential workers,’ leaves the fate of immigrants up to political appointees and sows confusion during an already uncertain and frightening time.
“The administration is cynically exploiting this crisis to achieve a long-sought political goal--restrictive changes to our immigration system that have nothing to do with public health or protecting workers.
“Research in the aftermath of the Great Recession shows a positive impact of immigration on the U.S. economy. A review of 40 years of data showed a negligible impact on low-skill native-born workers. This order does nothing to help unemployed workers, and continues to fuel anti-immigrant sentiment at a time when immigrants are playing a critical role keeping us safe and healthy during this pandemic, caring for loved ones in hospitals and nursing homes, keeping food moving from farms to our tables, and leading start-ups that will be critical as we restart our economy.”