Late last night, Wednesday March 11 the Office of the White House Press secretary released the following statement outlining the steps the Trump Administration are taking to respond to the coronavirus and protect the health & safety of the American people.
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2020
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP HAS TAKEN UNPRECEDENTED STEPS TO RESPOND TO THE CORONAVIRUS AND PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF AMERICANS
“Together we are putting into policy a plan to prevent, detect, treat and create a vaccine against coronavirus to save lives in America and the world. America will get it done!” – President Donald J. Trump
RESTRICTING TRAVEL FROM IMPACTED AREAS: President Donald J. Trump is taking further action to curb the spread of the coronavirus to the United States from other countries.
President Trump is issuing a proclamation under section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to restrict travel to the United States from foreign nationals who have recently been in certain European countries.
Section 212(f) of the INA only applies to the movement of human beings, not goods or cargo.
The restriction applies to foreign nationals who have been in the Schengen Area, 26 countries in Europe with open borders agreements, in the last 14 days.
Those who are exempt from these restrictions, such as American citizens, will be directed to a limited number of airports where screening can take place.
There is extensive travel back and forth between Europe that heightens the risk here in the United States.
LOOKING OUT FOR AMERICAN BUSINESSES AND WORKERS: President Donald J. Trump is committed to protecting American businesses and workers from the impacts of coronavirus.
The President is announcing an economic assistance package to help support businesses and workers who have been harmed by this outbreak.
President Trump has instructed the Small Business Administration (SBA) to exercise available authority to provide loans to businesses affected by the coronavirus.
These loans will help overcome disruptions caused by the coronavirus.
The President is calling on Congress to increase funding for this program by an additional $50 billion.
The President will be instructing the Department of the Treasury to defer tax payments for certain individuals and businesses negatively impacted by the coronavirus.
This action will provide more than $200 billion of additional liquidity to the economy.
President Trump is calling on Congress to immediately pass payroll tax relief.
The President announced that he will soon be taking emergency action to provide financial relief for workers who are ill, quarantined, or caring for others due to the coronavirus.
The President also called on Congress to take action to extend this relief for workers.
LEADING AN AGGRESSIVE, WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT APPROACH: President Trump has taken unprecedented steps to protect the health of Americans in response to the coronavirus.
The President is leveraging all of our resources to respond to the coronavirus, bringing together government and private industry in a collaborative response.
The Trump Administration declared a public health emergency in January to bolster response efforts.
President Trump took early action to help curb the spread of the virus from other countries to the United States, providing important time for response and preparations.
In January, President Trump acted quickly to restrict travel from foreign nationals traveling from China.
In February, the President restricted travel for individuals recently traveling from Iran.
The Administration put into place mandatory screening for all travelers coming into the country from Italy and South Korea.
Travel advisories for severely impacted areas like Italy and South Korea have been raised to their highest level.
Today, the President directed his Administration to make general-use face masks available to our healthcare workers.
The Administration’s actions will help make millions of general-use respirators available to keep healthcare workers safe and mitigate transmission of the virus.
President Trump signed into law more than $8 billion to fund response efforts.
The Administration has taken bold steps to incentivize the development of therapeutics and vaccines to treat and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Working across the public and private sectors, the Trump Administration continues to drastically expand testing capacity.
More than 1 million tests have been distributed nationwide, with another 4 million tests being shipped out by the end of the week.
Testing is now available in every State lab in the country and commercial labs are now deploying tests, which will help generate a dramatic increase in availability.
The Trump Administration has released guidance on how to keep businesses, schools, community gathering places, and families safe.
From the start, President Trump has made keeping the public informed a top priority.
The Administration has announced that health plans with health savings accounts will be able to cover coronavirus testing and treatment without co-payments.
Recall that President Trump imposed travel restrictions on non-U.S. citizens present in or transiting through China into the United States due to the coronavirus on January 30, 2020. Earlier today those travel restrictions were expanded to include Iran.
Expect the Open Borders crowd who believes everyone on the planet who can make it to the United States is entitled to healthcare courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer to go bat-S@#$ crazy.
SUSPENSION OF ENTRY AS IMMIGRANTS AND NONIMMIGRANTS
OF CERTAIN ADDITIONAL PERSONS WHO POSE A RISKOF TRANSMITTING 2019 NOVEL CORONAVIRUS- - - - - - -BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAA PROCLAMATION
On January 31, 2020, I issued Proclamation 9984 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures To Address This Risk). I found that the potential for widespread transmission of a novel (new) coronavirus (which has since been renamed "SARS-CoV-2" and causes the disease COVID-19) ("SARS-CoV-2" or "the virus") by infected individuals seeking to enter the United States threatens the security of our transportation system and infrastructure and the national security. Because the outbreak of the virus was (and is) centered in the People's Republic of China, I suspended and limited the entry of all aliens who were physically present within the People's Republic of China, excluding the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States, subject to certain exceptions.
CDC has determined that the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran) is experiencing sustained person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2. As of February 28, 2020, Iran had 388 cases of COVID-19, a significant increase from prior days. In response to that increase, on February 28, 2020, CDC raised its infectious disease alert to level 3, its highest level, which recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Iran. According to the World Health Organization, as of February 28, 2020, 97 COVID-19 cases have been exported from Iran to 11 other countries.
Iran is not a trustworthy state actor, as it has repeatedly demonstrated through its history of engaging in malign activity, and confirmed most recently by its repeated denials of responsibility for shooting down an international airliner. The United States Government is therefore unable to rely on official information disseminated by Iran, undermining the effective evaluation and monitoring of travelers continuing to arrive from that country.
The potential for undetected transmission of the virus by infected individuals seeking to enter the United States from Iran threatens the security of our transportation system and infrastructure and the national security. Given the importance of protecting persons within the United States from the threat of this harmful communicable disease, I have determined that it is in the interests of the United States to take action to restrict and suspend the entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of all aliens who were physically present within Iran during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, hereby find that the unrestricted entry into the United States of persons described in section 1 of this proclamation would, except as provided for in section 2 of this proclamation, be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions. I therefore hereby proclaim the following: Section1. Suspension and Limitation on Entry. The entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of all aliens who were physically present within the Islamic Republic of Iran during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States is hereby suspended and limited subject to section 2 of this proclamation.
Sec. 2. Scope of Suspension and Limitation on Entry.
(a) Section 1 of this proclamation shall not apply to:
(i) any lawful permanent resident of the United States;
(ii) any alien who is the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident;
(iii) any alien who is the parent or legal guardian of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is unmarried and under the age of 21;
(iv) any alien who is the sibling of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, provided that both are unmarried and under the age of 21;
(v) any alien who is the child, foster child, or ward of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, or who is a prospective adoptee seeking to enter the United States pursuant to the IR-4 or IH-4 visa classifications; (vi) any alien traveling at the invitation of the United States Government for a purpose related to containment or mitigation of the virus; (vii) any alien traveling as a nonimmigrant pursuant to a C-1, D, or C-1/D nonimmigrant visa as a crewmember or any alien otherwise traveling to the United States as air or sea crew; (viii) any alien
(A) seeking entry into or transiting the United States pursuant to one of the following visas: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3 (as a foreign government official or immediate family member of an official), E-1 (as an employee of TECRO or TECO or the employee's immediate family members), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6 (or seeking to enter as a nonimmigrant in one of those NATO categories); or
(B) whose travel falls within the scope of section 11 of the United Nations Headquarters Agreement;
(ix) any alien whose entry would not pose a significant risk of introducing, transmitting, or spreading the virus, as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the CDC Director or his designee;
(x) any alien whose entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their respective designees, based on a recommendation of the Attorney General or his designee;
(xi) any alien whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees; or
(xii) members of the U.S. Armed Forces and spouses and children of members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
(b) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to affect any individual's eligibility for asylum, withholding of removal, or protection under the regulations issued pursuant to the legislation implementing the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, consistent with the laws and regulations of the United States. Sec. 3. Implementation and Enforcement. (a) The Secretary of State shall implement this proclamation as it applies to visas pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, may establish. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall implement this proclamation as it applies to the entry of aliens pursuant to such procedures as the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may establish.
(b) Consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that any alien subject to this proclamation does not board an aircraft traveling to the United States.
(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security may establish standards and procedures to ensure the application of this proclamation at and between all United States ports of entry.
(d) An alien who circumvents the application of this proclamation through fraud, willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or illegal entry shall be a priority for removal by the Department of Homeland Security. Sec. 4. Amendments to Proclamation 9984. Proclamation 9984 is amended as follows:
(a) Section 2(a)(viii) of Proclamation 9984 is amended to read as follows: "(viii) any alien (A) seeking entry into or transiting the United States pursuant to one of the following visas: A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3 (as a foreign government official or immediate family member of an official), E-1 (as an employee of TECRO or TECO or the employee's immediate family members), G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1 through NATO-4, or NATO-6 (or seeking to enter as a nonimmigrant in one of those NATO categories); or (B) whose travel falls within the scope of section 11 of the United Nations Headquarters Agreement;"
(b) Section 3(c) of Proclamation 9984 is amended to read as follows: "(c) The Secretary of Homeland Security may establish standards and procedures to ensure the application of this proclamation at and between all United States ports of entry."
(c) Section 5 of Proclamation 9984 is amended to read as follows: "Sec. 5. Termination. This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, as circumstances warrant and no more than 15 days after the date of this proclamation and thereafter on the first and fifteenth day of each calendar month, recommend that the President continue, modify, or terminate this proclamation and any other proclamation suspending or limiting the entry of foreign nationals into the United States as immigrants or nonimmigrants because of the threat posed by the virus."
Sec. 5. Termination. This proclamation shall remain in effect until terminated by the President.
Sec. 6. Effective Date. This proclamation is effective at 5:00 p.m. eastern standard time on March 2, 2020. This proclamation does not apply to persons aboard a flight scheduled to arrive in the United States that departed prior to 5:00 p.m. eastern standard time on March 2, 2020. Sec. 7. Severability. It is the policy of the United States to enforce this proclamation to the maximum extent possible to advance the national security, public safety, and foreign policy interests of the United States. Accordingly:
(a) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this proclamation and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby; and
(b) if any provision of this proclamation, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid because of the lack of certain procedural requirements, the relevant executive branch officials shall implement those procedural requirements to conform with existing law and with any applicable court orders. Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this proclamation shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This proclamation shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fourth.
President Trump was right to start the battle against human trafficking almost immediately upon assuming office. He signed an executive order in February 2017 targeting transnational criminal organizations that threaten the safety & sovereignty of the United States and American citizens. And his administration was right just a month earlier when news broke his administration declared China among the worst human trafficking offenders. Yesterday, on the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the 7th anniversary of the Benghazi attacks, the U.S. Attorneys Office, Southern District of Texas and Customs & Border Protection separately announced a conviction and an apprehension involving the smuggling of illegal Chinese nationals into the country.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury has convicted a 49-year-old legal permanent resident from Donna for knowingly and intentionally conspiring to unlawfully transporting undocumented illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. The jury deliberated for approximately one hour before convicting Federico Espinosa-Flores following a two-day trial.
During trial the jury heard that on Dec. 21, 2018, authorities arrested Federico Espinosa-Flores at the Border Patrol Checkpoint in Sarita.
At approximately 7:40 A.M., Espinosa-Flores drove a white Ford cargo van disguised as an adult daycare business and entered the primary inspection lane. At that time, authorities noticed him exhibiting signs of nervousness, such as avoiding eye contact and having trembling hands. Espinosa-Flores consented to a search of which resulted in the discovery of 10 undocumented aliens in the rear cargo area of the vehicle. Six were Chinese nationals.."
MARFA, Texas - U.S. Border Patrol agents arrest 10 citizens of China illegally present in United States.
"Big Bend Sector Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Mathew J Roggow said, “The communities in Big Bend Sector are home to some of the finest people I have come to know. I am extremely proud of our agents commitment to keeping them safe. Today was a prime example of the unity of effort that we have with our fellow state and local law enforcement agencies. These arrest would not have been possible without the assistance of the Marfa Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Game Wardens, and the diligent efforts of the Presidio and Brewster County Sheriff’s Office."
Agents apprehend illegal aliens.
On September 10, Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Marfa Border Patrol Station and Big Bend Sector responded to a call for assistance from a Presidio County Sheriff’s Office Deputy (PCSO) attempting to conduct a vehicle stop on a white GMC pickup truck. The vehicle failed to yield to the PCSO deputy. Border Patrol Agents along with other state and local partners responded to assist in searching for the vehicle. During a search for the vehicle, agents located a subject near the Marfa cemetery.
Shortly after locating the subject near the cemetery, agents located foot sign and followed it to an abandoned shack located at the Marfa cemetery. Agents found ten subjects, all citizens of China illegally present in the United States, hiding in the shack. The subjects were arrested and taken to the Marfa Border Patrol Station for processing."
