Pause In Immigrant Visa Processing Imposed By Presidential Proclamation - Effective April 23 For Sixty Days At Consular Posts

After numerous rumors in the past few days regarding the suspension of immigration to the United States (U.S.), President Trump's Proclamation (Suspension Proclamation) was finally published on April 22.  The Proclamation references the disruption of the economy post COVID-19 as a basis for the Proclamation.  The Proclamation does not address the current dichotomy between family-based and employment-based legal paths to permanent residency or the inadmissibility ground related to public charge, which has been subject to extensive changes to increase the level of difficulty to immigrate to the United States (U.S.).  In addition, most employment-based cases require a test of the U.S. labor market, but due to government delays and the lack of visa availability, applicants using the employment-based and family-based paths to permanent residence can wait in line to immigrate legally for more than ten to twenty years in some cases. The Suspension Proclamation also ignores the