Trump refuses to block U.S. citizens coming home if coronavirus infection was feared

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a measure to block U.S. citizens and permanent residents from returning if they are suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus, a senior U.S. official told Reuters.

The official said a draft regulation, which has not been finalized and is subject to change, would give the government authority to block individuals who could “reasonably” believe they have contracted COVID-19 or other diseases.

Trump has imposed a series of sweeping immigration restrictions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, halting legal immigration and allowing U.S. border authorities to deport migrants caught at the border without standard legal proceedings.

Reuters reported in May that U.S. government officials were worried that dual citizens of Mexico-Mexico could flee to the United States if the outbreak of coronavirus in Mexico became less, which put more stress on U.S. hospitals.

The draft regulation, first reported Monday by The New York Times, was to be issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has played a key role in responding to the pandemic, the senior official Reuters.

A Trump pandemic task force was not expected to act on the proposal this week, although that timeline could change, the official said.

The United States leads the world in both confirmed cases of coronavirus and deaths, with more than 5 million cases recorded and more than 162,000 deaths, according to a Reuters census.

Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Immigrant Rights Project, said in a written statement that exposing U.S. citizens to the country would be unconstitutional and “another big mistake in a year that has seen far too much.” . ”

The CDC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.