Trump extends visa ban; court clears health insurance rule
By ELLIOT SPAGATDecember 31, 2020
President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is returning to Washington after visiting his Mar-a-Lago resort. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
SAN DIEGO (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday extended pandemic-related bans on green cards and work visas to large groups of applicants through March 31, while a federal appeals court sided with him on a rule that requires new immigrants to have their own health insurance.
The twin developments on the final day of 2020 encapsulated how Trump has made U.S. immigration policy more restrictive without support from Congress. President-elect Joe Biden has promised to undo many of Trump’s actions but it is unclear how quickly and even to what extent.
Federal judges have limited the impact of the pandemic-related visa bans, which were set to expire Thursday. Biden, who is now forced to decide when and whether to lift them after taking office Jan. 20, doesn’t specifically address the issue in his immigration platform.
https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-coronavirus-pandemic-immigration-united-states-15af1d4f147f011c920563fdb8c215ed
