The COVID Project
The record
- Jurisdiction
- President of the United States (proclamation with operative effect)
- Level
- Federal
- Authority
- 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) (suspension of entry of any class of aliens whose entry would be detrimental to the interests of the United States); 8 U.S.C. 1185(a)
- Issued
- 2020-04-22 Apr. 22, 2020
- Effective
- 2020-04-23 11:59 p.m. EDT (read as 2020-04-23)
- End
- 2021-02-24 (revoked by Proclamation 10149, Ex. 011; originally 60 days, continued by Proclamations 10052 and 10131) (read as 2021-02-24)
- In force
- Apr. 23, 2020 to Feb. 24, 2021
- Quarters
- 2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q1
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
- Limitation types
- Travel and quarantineOther
- Addressees
- aliens seeking entry as immigrants
- consular officers
- Secretaries of State, Labor and Homeland Security
- Functions reached
- HR hiring of immigrant workers (employment-based immigrant visas, family-sponsored workers) halted at consulates
- WF workforce: employees' immigrating family members barred
- TR international travel and relocation
- Collection
- Federal labor and immigration agencies AGY-FED-LABOR-IMMIGRATION
Operative words
Section 1. Suspension and Limitation on Entry. The entry into the United States of aliens as immigrants is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation. Sec. 2. Scope... (a)... shall apply only to aliens who: (i) are outside the United States on the effective date of this proclamation; (ii) do not have an immigrant visa that is valid on the effective date of this proclamation; and (iii) do not have an official travel document other than a visa... (b)... shall not apply to: (i) any lawful permanent resident... (ii) any alien seeking to enter the United States on an immigrant visa as a physician, nurse, or other healthcare professional... Sec. 4. Termination. This proclamation shall expire 60 days from its effective date and may be continued as necessary.... Sec. 5. Effective Date. This proclamation is effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern daylight time on April 23, 2020. Sec. 6. Additional Measures. Within 30 days of the effective date of this proclamation, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall review nonimmigrant programs and shall recommend to me other measures appropriate to stimulate the United States economy and ensure the prioritization, hiring, and employment of United States workers.
Enforcement
Sec. 3(a): consular officers determine eligibility for exceptions and the Secretary of State implements the proclamation as to visas; Sec. 3(b): an alien who circumvents the proclamation through fraud, willful misrepresentation, or illegal entry shall be a priority for removal
Notes
The proclamation's own recital ties the suspension to the labor market disruption COVID-19 caused; it exempted health-care professionals and food-supply-chain workers, confirming that every other industry's immigrant hiring was suspended.
Retrieval noteFR Doc. 2020-09068.