President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he had signed an executive order "temporarily suspending immigration into the United States."
Mr. Trump said the move was necessary to help Americans get back to work in an economy ravaged by the coronavirus.
"This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens," he said.
However, the 60-day order came with a list of exemptions including for those who are currently in the country and those seeking entry to work as physicians and nurses, as well as the spouses and minor children of American citizens.
Critics claimed that through the move Mr. Trump was trying to divert public attention from his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic while opposition suggested that the order was driven more by politics than policy during an election year.
