'Fully signed and ready to go': Trump approves order to temporarily suspend immigration into US

President Trump signed an executive order to "temporarily suspend immigration into the United States" due to the coronavirus crisis.

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"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.

The suspension meant for sixty days denies people applying for green cards or permanent residency although seasonal workers in the farm sector will be allowed to go ahead.

With over 22 million Americans declaring unemployment, Trump's order said the United States faces a potentially protracted economic recovery with "persistently high unemployment".

Trump tweeted the order was "fully signed and ready to go!" even as critics doubted his larger plan of stopping immigrants into the country which has been the president's election campaign rhetoric since 2016, heading into polls this year.

Amid the coronavirus crisis, Trump said it was still "it's too soon" for those businesses to resume operations after Republican governors Brian Kemp, governor of the southern state of Georgia, and Florida's Ron DeSantis announced easing of restrictions.

"I told the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the Phase One guidelines" for reopening issued last week.

"I respect him and I will let him make his decision. Would I do that? No. I'd keep them (closed) a little bit longer. I want to protect people's lives," Trump said.

The Trump administration has asserted that there should be 14 days of declining infection numbers before a reopening is announced.