Live-Time Tracking of Immigration Responses to the Coronavirus Crisis
JULY 2020
July 13
- The U.S., Mexico, and Canada mutually agree to extend border crossing restrictions until August.
July 6
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement announces that international students enrolled in online-only programs will not be able to remain lawfully present in the United States.
JUNE 2020
June 22
- President Trump signs an executive proclamation barring the entry of new H-1B, H-2B, J-1, and L-1 nonimmigrant guestworker visas until the end of 2020, citing the economic fallout and unemployment associated with the country’s response to the coronavirus.
June 17
- ICE announces another 30-day extension of flexibility in rules related to Form I-9 compliance. This gives employers flexibility in storing physical copies of new employees’ I-9 forms. The I-9 form is used to verify employment authorization in the United States.
June 10
- The ACLU sues the Trump Administration on behalf of a 16-year old Honduran teen deported under the pandemic-era policy of quickly removing all border crossers, rather than holding them in extended detention. The teen was quickly placed into removal proceedings under the current policy, rather than sent to the Department of Health and Human Services to be placed in an Unaccompanied Alien Child (UAC) shelter.
June 9
- The United States and Canada announced that they will jointly extend the ban on nonessential travel across the border until late July.
MAY 2020
May 26
- President Trump bans travel from Brazil, citing Brazil’s rapidly deteriorating situation. Brazil is now the country with the second-highest number of total COVID-19 cases, surpassing Russia.
May 19
- The Department of Homeland Security announces that it is extending the current border restrictions on all nonessential travel which were set to expire on May 21.
May 15
- The House of Representatives passes the HEROES Act by a vote of 208-199. This bill includes amnesty provisions protecting illegal aliens in the U.S. from deportation and makes some illegal aliens eligible to receive stimulus checks. A GOP effort to strip these provisions failed by a vote of 198-209, although they picked up the support of 13 Democrats.
May 14
- Democrats in the Massachusetts legislature introduced Senate Bill 2659 which would use state resources to give individual illegal aliens up to $1,200 each and $500 for each child. Illegal aliens were ineligible for benefits under the federal CARES Act stimulus.
May 13
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) introduced the HEROES Act, the Democrats’ first proposal for the next stimulus package. The HEROES Act will give illegal aliens direct stimulus payments, including access to money from the CARES Act. It would also dismantle immigration detention and give a de facto amnesty to all illegal aliens in essential industries
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces a new rule affecting the H-2B visa program for workers and employers involved in the food supply chain. H-2B holders can now more easily switch to employers in essential industries. H-2B workers are now exempt from the touchback provision requiring them to return to their home country for 3 months. The rule expires on September 11, 2020.
May 10
- Updating their April 30th announcement, the Department of Justice postpones all MPP hearings through June 19.
May 7
- A 57-year old alien dies in ICE detention in California, marking the first virus-related death of an ICE detainee in the United States.
May 5
- The Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center and CASA sued the Trump administration over a provision in the $2 trillion stimulus package that bars U.S.-citizen children of illegal aliens from receiving stimulus payments. The case is R.V. v. Mnuchin.
May 4
- The Department of Justice announces the suspension of all non-detained immigration court cases until after May 29, 2020, exacerbating the immigration court backlog which exceeds 1.1 million cases.
April 30, 2020
- DHS and DOJ announced that they will postpone all Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP) hearings until after June 1, 2020. MPP is commonly referred to as the “Remain in Mexico” policy, where asylum-seekers trying to enter the U.S. wait in Mexico throughout the duration of their immigration court process.
April 23, 2020
- Oregon lawmakers approved more than $32 million in state spending, including up to $10 million in unemployment benefits for illegal aliens.
- The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled in a 5-4 decision which broadens the scope of crimes that make immigrants subject to deportation. Notably, this extends to green card holders as well. The case is Barton v. Barr.
April 22, 2020
- President Trump signs an executive order temporarily suspending certain types of immigration. Although citing immigration’s impact on American workers, the E.O. applies only to people applying for immigrant visas outside the United States and exempts certain classes of family immigration. The E.O. does nothing to address temporary foreign guestworkers or any other types of nonimmigrant visa programs.
April 21, 2020
- The Department of Education issued new guidance barring illegal alien college students, including DACA students, from receiving emergency federal cash assistance for expenses like food, child care, and housing. Secretary Betsy DeVos justified that this clarification is needed because the CARES Act is meant to only benefit American citizens and legal immigrants.
- EOIR — our country’s immigration court system — announces the postponement of all “non-detained” cases until May 15. This affects all aliens with pending cases who are not currently in immigration detention, including many of those with asylum claims.
April 20, 2020
- In a late-night tweet, President Trump announces that he’ll issue an executive order temporarily suspending all immigration to the United States.
- DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf announces that the United States, Canada, and Mexico agreed to extend restrictions on non-essential travel across their shared borders for 30 additional days. This extends earlier bans on all non-essential travel, mainly tourists and short-term visitors.
April 16, 2020
- DHS publishes a proposed rule that will allow H-2A agricultural farmworkers to remain in the United States for more than 3 years. Previously, H-2A workers had to return to their home country for 3 or more months before returning to the United States.
- California Governor Gavin Newsome announces a statewide program giving illegal aliens access to $125 million in unemployment insurance.
April 13, 2020
- USCIS announces that they will begin relaxing certain requirements for those on legal visas, allowing those whose status will expire to apply for extensions and offering some leniency for immigrants whose visas expire during the COVID-19 crisis.
April 10, 2020
- Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) introduce legislation that would release all aliens from detention facilities and stop all immigration enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The White House announced that the United States may impose visa sanctions on countries that refuse to accept their nationals who the U.S. government deported.
April 9, 2020
- ICE begins releasing certain aliens in immigration detention who are at a heightened risk of contracting COVID-19. ICE held roughly 35,000 aliens in detention as of late March and identified 600 aliens who are vulnerable to the virus.
April 7, 2020
- The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a lower court injunction requiring bond hearings for illegal aliens in immigration court proceedings. Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that this came at a crucial time for many aliens in detention due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) introduces the “Recovery Rebates Improvement Act,” which would allow illegal aliens and mixed families (e.g., illegal alien parents with citizen children) to receive stimulus checks under the CARES Act. The $2.2 trillion CARES Act stimulus excluded illegal aliens - even in mixed families — from receiving recovery rebates.
April 3, 2020
- Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) and 50 House Democrats introduced H.R. 6438 which would allow illegal aliens to earn the $1,200 recovery rebates passed in the Phase III stimulus package. That bill did not allow illegal aliens to receive personal stimulus checks.
April 2, 2020
- Pew Research releases a report finding that nearly 40 percent of the world’s population now live in countries that have completely closed their borders to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Pew also notes that 93 percent of the world’s population lives in countries that have restricted or banned nonresident travel.
April 1, 2020
- The National Lawyers Guild, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the Immigration Justice Campaign sue the Trump Administration for their refusal to suspend immigration hearings during the COVID-19 crisis.
- USCIS announces that it is extending its office closure until at least May 3. USCIS offices were initially scheduled to reopen in early April.
March 29, 2020
- Judge Dolly Gee of the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles is giving the federal government until April 10 to justify the continued detention of alien minors during the Covid-19 outbreak. Judge Gee indicated that she may order the children released to extended family members in the United States if the government cannot produce a compelling reason to continue detaining the alien minors.
March 27, 2020
- The House of Representatives passed the CARES Act, the Senate’s $2 trillion stimulus spending package designed to bolster the economy from the effects of Covid-19, by voice vote. Nonresident aliens are not eligible for any economic assistance.
March 26, 2020
- China announces that it will temporarily ban entry of foreigners in an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19.
March 25, 2020
- The Senate passes the $2 trillion emergency economic relief package by a vote of 96-0. This stimulus package is the largest spending bill in American history. Nonresident aliens are ineligible for any economic assistance, and the Senate GOP kept many of House Speaker Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) immigration poison pills out of the final text.
- US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces that all field offices, asylum offices, and Application Support Centers will remain closed tentatively until April 7.
- Mexico suspends refugee and asylum requests until April 20 as coronavirus cases begin climbing throughout the country.
March 24, 2020
- A 31-year old Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee in Bergen County, NJ tests positive for Covid-19, becoming the first person in ICE custody to contract the disease.
March 23, 2020
- Rep. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) and six other House Democrats send a letter to Nancy Pelosi asking that the Speaker include a permanent DACA fix as part of any coronavirus deal.
- The government postpones hearings for asylum-seekers in the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program, commonly known as “Remain-in-Mexico”
- House Democrats reveal their stimulus demands in a $2.5 trillion spending bill. The bill includes a number of questionable immigration measures. The bill would ban Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from closing processing centers even if there was a health emergency, it prevents the Justice Department from withholding grant funding from sanctuary cities, and it extends work authorization and immigration status indefinitely for aliens, even for groups like DACA and TPS.
March 22, 2020
- At the 11th hour, the Senate fails its first attempt to pass a massive stimulus package before markets reopen on Monday. This package contained no immigration riders.
March 20, 2020
- The State Department suspends all routine visa processing and services at its overseas embassies and consulates.
- Canada announces they will begin turning back asylum seekers to reduce the spread of the virus.
- Mexico’s foreign minister announces that the US-Mexico border will be closed to those traveling only for recreation or tourism.
March 18, 2020
- The Justice Department closes proceedings in 10 immigration courts and postpones individual cases across the country as COVID-19 continues to spread.
- President Trump closes the northern border with Canada to all “non-essential” traffic
- ICE changes its enforcement priorities, only focusing on public safety risks and criminals
- The State Department announces a pause in refugee admissions through April 6.
March 17, 2020
- USCIS announces a suspension of in-person services, including all interviews and naturalization ceremonies.
- ICE reschedules in-person check-ins and pushes back timeline for recent arrivals.
March 16, 2020
- Chile and Guatemala close their borders in order to contain the virus.
- The European Union announces it will restrict all nonessential travel into the region for at least 30 days.
- President Trump expands the European travel ban to Ireland and the United Kingdom.
March 13, 2020
- President Trump declares COVID-19 a national emergency. DHS announces new entry bans and restrictions on travelers from China, Iran, and heavily-affected European countries.
March 11, 2020
- WHO declares COVID-19 a global pandemic. In an Oval Office address, President Trump announces that the United States will ban travel from 27 continental European countries for 30 days.
February 29, 2020
- The United States restricts travel from Iran.
February 23, 2020
- Multiple countries close their borders to Iran as the virus appears to spiral out of control in the Islamic Republic.
February 20, 2020
- Russia bans entry of all Chinese citizens. Italy reports its first known cases of COVID-19.
February 19, 2020
- Iran publicly announces its first reported cases of COVID-19.
February 13, 2020
- North Korea forcibly quarantines all foreign visitors to the hermit kingdom. By this point, the disease has killed over 1,000 people in China.
February 4, 2020
- Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Chad Wolf directs all flights carrying passengers who recently travelled to China to select airports with better medical screening.
JANUARY
January 31, 2020
- The United States suspends travel from all foreign nationals who visited China in the past 14 days, excluding American citizens and LPRs.
January 30, 2020
- WHO declares COVID-19 an international health emergency.
January 25, 2020
- Hong Kong restricts travel with mainland China.
January 21, 2020
- Doctors identify the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States.
January 20, 2020
- Asian countries begin taking measures to restrict or block travelers from China, particularly those from the city of Wuhan. Three days later, China quarantines the entire city of Wuhan.
January 11, 2020
- China announces the first death from COVID-19.
January 7, 2020
- The World Health Organization (WHO) announces the discovery of the new virus, COVID-19. COVID-19 is a type of respiratory coronavirus similar, yet distinct, to SARS. France confirms its first case of COVID-19.
January 1, 2020
- China shuts down the Wuhan Seafood Wholesale Market after visitors begin contracting an illness described by many as similar to SARS, a disease that broke out in China in late 2002. By the end of the week, Chinese scientists and medical professionals announce that the new disease is not SARS.
January 11, 2020
- China announces the first death from COVID-19.
January 7, 2020
- The World Health Organization (WHO) announces the discovery of the new virus, COVID-19. COVID-19 is a type of respiratory coronavirus similar, yet distinct, to SARS. France confirms its first case of COVID-19.
January 1, 2020
- China shuts down the Wuhan Seafood Wholesale Market after visitors begin contracting an illness described by many as similar to SARS, a disease that broke out in China in late 2002. By the end of the week, Chinese scientists and medical professionals announce that the new disease is not SARS.