The Coronavirus Pandemic: A New Excuse for Banning Immigration?

A pattern seems to be emerging as a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic, one that allows President Trump and his allies on the right to implement much of their agenda without serious objection from the left. In recent weeks, the Trump Administration has rolled back environmental protections, canceled naturalization services for Green Card holders, sped up confirmation hearings for Trump's judicial nominees, blamed China for spreading the Novel Coronavirus, floated more tax cuts for the rich, and, of course, his much talked about executive order banning almost all immigration into the United States. This last one has far more insidious effects than one might believe, even if one agrees that halting immigration from outside the country during the crisis might be a prudent step to prevent infected persons from bringing the disease into areas not currently suffering outbreaks.

U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) offices are currently closed to the public, which delays or prevents alien residents attempting to obtain permanent resident status from doing so. One reason this has been problematic during the current crisis is that the economic downturn has hurt those who have temporary permits or work visas much more disproportionately than it has 'regular' American citizens. A large portion of legal immigrants works in the hospitality industry, especially where I live in Orlando, FL. The shutdown of the Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Resort, and most area hotels and restaurants has left these individuals scrambling to make ends meet or leave the country. Because they have not been granted their Green Cards or been naturalized, they are not eligible for any assistance from the state or federal government due to losing their jobs.

Of course, another problem for major companies such as Disney and Universal when the time comes to resume operations will be replacing cast members and employees who were forced to go elsewhere to find work so they could support their families. The companies will need to invest heavily in training new hires or retraining workers from other areas before they can resume full operations. For Disney, the immediate impact will be felt in the cultural program for the EPCOT World Showcase countries, bus transportation, and housekeeping. Universal may have the most difficult time filling housekeeping and janitorial positions, though the company may be better suited in the long-term because it is still paying its full-time workers 80% of their pre-furlough wages. Disney's furloughed workers must rely on Florida's broken unemployment system like the hard-working Floridians who were laid off before them. Like many furloughed cast members, my application has been in pending status for three weeks.

The bottom line is that if the Trump Administration really wants to make America great again, it needs to process immigrant applications for Green Cards and refugee/asylum residence. It needs to act now to ensure these workers, who are often performing jobs that many Americans will not or do not want to do (like cleaning up after tourists...you should hear the stories!), will be ready and able to return to their full-time jobs as soon as their employers are able to resume normal operations. The time has come to respect those who have come here legally to obtain a share of the American Dream. As Emma Lazarus wrote:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

They have come, they have worked hard, they have yearned to breathe free. Now it is time for our country to live up to its end of the bargain. The world is watching us and it will not forget what we do next. The choice to live up to our ideals is ours. Or we can simply act as hypocrites and forsake the moral authority to lead the world for generations to come.