Trump signs executive order limiting immigration amid COVID-19

YUMA, Ariz. ( KYMA, KECY) - President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday limiting immigration into the United States due to the ongoing battle with the coronavirus.

"In order to protect our great American workers, I've just signed an executive order temporarily suspending immigration into the United States. This will ensure that unemployed Americans of all backgrounds will be first in line for jobs as our economy reopens," Trump said, adding that he signed the order just before beginning his daily press briefing at the White House.

The executive order details that it will suspend immigrant visas for the next 60 days. The order applies to people who are currently outside of the country seeking entry and do not have a currently valid visa.

“He’s focusing on the exact same category he was trying to eliminate when the economy was fine," said Immigration Attorney, Ray Ybrarra.

This order exempts those individuals who already quote 'lawful permanent residents,' or healthcare- professionals seeking an immigrant visa to help combat the virus.

“Who they are excluding are brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, adult children," said Ybrarra.

He said that an estimated 52- thousand families will be impacted. Families who have loved ones in Mexico waiting to come into the country, quote 'the legal way,' some have waited over a decade.

“Lets say a brother of someone who originally is from Mexico, they’ve been waiting 16 or 18 years to come in a legal way," said Ybrarra.

Ybrarra said he does not believe Trump's order will go far nor will it impact the already overwhelmed immigration case load. “But the big difference now is that he is targeting legal permanent residents as appose to the past he targeted people coming with non-immigrant visas," said Ybrara.

The executive order still has to go through the federal courthouse, if approved, the administration stated it will revisit the order after the 60 days.