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Donald Trump converted into an executive order his sharp decision of three days ago on the temporary prohibition of immigration to the United States. Dimmed, yes, with respect to what he wrote through his Twitter account on Monday. What originally sounded like a blockade until further notice of any admission to the country of immigrants, is actually an official document loaded with exceptions that only affects applicants for 'green card' (permanent residence permits) for two months.

The document that he signed on Wednesday, which affects people who are out of the country or who do not yet have a valid visa , aims to "suspend the entry of immigrants who pose a risk to the United States job market during the recovery economy after the Covid-19 outbreak ", a more electoralist than effective measure to reduce the bleeding that the US labor market is suffering due to the pandemic.

In just five weeks, some 26.4 million people have applied for unemployment benefits . Last week 4.4 million added to that situation of financial uncertainty. With his plan, Trump is concentrating on one chapter, that of the 'green cards' , which last year benefited a total of 1,096,611 people, slightly below the figures of 2017 and 2016, according to data from the Department of National Security, the equivalent to the Ministry of the Interior in Spain.

Of those, more than half (567,884) were already in the country, so the measure will not affect them. Nor to those who are already permanent residents. Applicants for investor permits, women and children of American citizens, those who want to access as health personnel, and anyone admitted for reasons of national security are also exempt. Estimates from The Migration Policy Institute speak of some 52,000 people primarily affected over the next 60 days , applicants for permanent residence permit for employment reasons.

The rest of those affected will be relatives of residents looking for reunification - just over 100,000, according to 2018 data - and the beneficiaries of a visa lottery that each year awards some 50,000 green cards. This at a time when the pandemic had already paralyzed much of the immigration system to the United States, with flights from China and Europe suspended and consulates temporarily closed.

Trump indicated in his daily press conference that the order "will ensure that jobless Americans of all backgrounds are first in line for jobs, once the economy reopens." What no one knows for sure, not even the President, is when that will happen.

So far, some states like Texas, Alaska and Georgia have taken the lead with partial reopening of their economies . South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida have also joined the urgency to regain some of their normal pre-pandemic activity.

Georgia has become the most aggressive national model after allowing the reopening of hairdressers, bowling alleys, gyms and massage parlors starting today. Masses will return over the weekend and restaurants and movie theaters on Monday, although bars will have to wait.

Republican Governor Brian Kemp's decision has raised blisters across the country. Experts in the health field are convinced that there will be a new outbreak of infections in the southern state and even President Trump has harshly criticized the decision of one of his political allies. "It is too early," he said from the White House. "I disagree with his decision, but he has to do what he thinks is right . " Many small entrepreneurs have already indicated that they will not reopen their doors despite the green light to do so.

Nor did the words of another Republican, Texas Deputy Governor Dan Patrick, go unnoticed, noting Monday that "there are more important things to live" to justify his plans to partially reopen his state's economy in a few days, even if that means put the health of the oldest and most vulnerable population at risk against the coronavirus. "No one wants to die, but we have to take certain risks, get back on the move and get this country back on track," he said.

The problem is that Covid-19 cases continue to grow at a considerable rate in Texas and the rest of the country. Yesterday, 17,431 more were confirmed in the US. There are already 48,868 deaths, almost double that of Italy , the second country most affected by the pandemic.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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