Trump likely to announce new restrictions on visas soon; may block entry of foreign workers to US

US President Donald Trump is likely to soon announce new restrictions on visas that would effectively block the entry of foreign workers, with an aim to support Americans struggling with the job market, that has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Although several major American companies, particularly in the tech sector, had urged the president to refrain from blocking the flow of foreign workers into the United States, Trump himself said that there would be very little exclusion from the new restrictions. He specified that the restrictions would be 'tight' and that is how they would likely have to be for a while.

"You need them for big businesses where they have certain people that have been coming in for a long time, but very little exclusion and they're pretty tight," Trump was quoted by news agency Reuters. The president added, "And we may even go very tight for a period of time."

According to the news agency, this step is the latest in a series of measures that critics have accused the US President of implementing in the garb of pandemic response but are allegedly aimed at realising the president's longstanding goal of limiting immigration to the United States.

As a precursor, Trump had earlier in April put a temporary block on some foreigners from attaining permanent residence in the United States. He had also revised border policies, allowing rapid deportation of immigrants caught at the border and cutting off access to the US Asylum system.

The US government had also closed non-essential travel across the international borders with Mexico and Canada, a step that has been extended several times over.

It is to be noted that Donald Trump's strict stance on immigration, including travel bans and migrant detentions, is central to his pitch for re-election at the 2020 United States presidential election.