AS WE COME to the end of week one of Donald Trump’s Presidency, it has been busy.
Here’s what decisions he made yesterday.
Made a proclamation announcing National School Choice Week
School choice is a divisive issue in the US, with Trump’s opponents worried he may abolish the Department of Education completely. With that in mind, he invited parents to “evaluate the educational opportunities available for their children”.
The proclamation worked retroactively, making 22 January to 28 January National School Choice Week.
Rumoured orders
A slew of executive orders are awaiting signature, according to numerous reports in the US. These range from a ban on immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries; Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq. The first three are deemed as sponsors of terrorism by the US, the second three are “countries of concern” and Iraq is specially designated in US law.
Another order would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – DACA – program, which gave temporary protection from deportation to those who entered America before they were 16 and were pursuing education and had no convictions. It would roll back a major plank of Barack Obama’s immigration legacy.
A third order is aimed at protecting jobs in America by “strengthening the integrity of foreign worker visa programs”. One of its provisions would be that spouses of H-1B guest workers would no longer be entitled to work permits.
A final order would restrict welfare available to legal immigrants, even requiring those who sponsor immigrants to reimburse the federal government if the person requires support.
May Day
Trump today meets British Prime Minister Theresa May, his first meeting with a head of state since election. The two differ on many international policies. May said NATO member states should contribute their fair share — a complaint made by the former and current US administrations — but defended the alliance from Trump’s claims it was “obsolete.”
May also defended the Iranian nuclear deal against the president’s criticism, saying it was “vitally important” for regional security — but must now be properly enforced.
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