Guidance on President Trump's June 22, 2020 Proclamation

Updated June 23, 2020

On June 22, President Trump signed a new proclamation suspending the entry to the U.S. of additional groups of people.  The proclamation: 

1. Continues the suspension of entry of immigrants from the 4/22 proclamation until 12/31/2020 (with potential for modification every 60 days) and
2. Suspends the entry to the U.S. of H-1B, H-2, J-1 (intern, trainee, teacher, camp counselor, au pair, summer work travel categories), L-1 nonimmigrants and their accompanying dependents until 12/31/2020 (with potential for modification every 60 days). 

Among others, this order does NOT apply to:

--People who are currently in the US;

--J-1 students (including student interns), short-term scholars, research scholars or professors, which are the J-1 categories CMU uses;

--People who are outside the US but have a current, valid nonimmigrant visa (in the appropriate classification—H, J, L);

--People who are lawful permanent residents;

--Spouses or children of US citizens.

--People who are in F-1/F-2 status, TN status, O-1 status or any other nonimmigrant status not listed above. 

Of the new provisions in this proclamation, only the suspension of entry of H-1B workers and their H-4 dependents may impact CMU employees.  CMU H-1B employees (new or continuing)  and/or their H-4 dependents who are currently outside the U.S. will be prohibited from entering the US under this order if they do not have a valid visa as of 6/24 (the effective date of the proclamation).  This proclamation does not impact H-1B employees or H-4 dependents who are in the U.S., people in the U.S. seeking a change to H-1B status within the US or H-1B employees/their dependents who are outside the U.S. but have valid H visa stickers.  This order also does NOT apply to J-1 students and scholars (short-term, research or professor categories). 

Please note that other COVID-19 travel bans, barring entry to the US from Brazil, China, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen region of Europe and the United Kingdom, remain in place.

There are also provisions, similar to the 4/22 proclamation, directing government agencies to make further changes to protect U.S. workers, which may include changes to the EB-2 and EB-3 immigrant visas; changes to H-1B nonimmigrant visas and changes to implement measures to “reduce risk that people seeking admission to the U.S. will spread SARS-CoV-2 within the US.”

This new proclamation goes into effect on June 24 and extends to December 31, 2020, with potential for modification every 60 days.