Trump backs off from plan to suspend issuing visas, but may temporarily suspend issuing green cards. 

The White House incited widespread panic Monday, April 20, when President Trump tweeted that he planned to suspend the issuing of all visas and green cards.  Tuesday, April 21, however, he backed off, saying that he only planned to suspend the issuing of green cards, and that the suspension would last for sixty days.

Of course, US consulates all around the world—where immigrant visas are issued—are closed and unlikely to reopen for sixty days.  As such, the only new development here is that applications for green cards made within the U.S. may now be suspended for 60 days. As such, it appears that Trump’s declaration is principally a bid to reframe the State Department’s emergency response to the COVID-19 crisis in a manner that could score him political points with his anti-immigrant base.

However, we have no way to know what the White House will actually do until they issue the executive order. We will update you with any new information as it is received.