Coronavirus government response updates: Trump says he will halt immigration to US, Cuomo to visit WH as some states begin to reopen

Official White House Photo by Andrea HanksBy LIBBY CATHEY, ABC News

President Donald Trump on Tuesday faced questions about his reasons for posting a late-night tweet announcing he will sign an executive order temporarily suspending legal immigration to the U.S. -- as some parts of the country start opening up and others continue to fight a worsening battle against the novel coronavirus and its unprecedented health and economic impacts.

In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2020

He said at Tuesday's White House briefing that he would probably sign it "tomorrow."

After weeks of back and forth on a national stage, criticizing and complimenting each other's response to the pandemic, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, the state hit hardest by the COVID-19, visited President Trump at the White House Tuesday just before the daily coronavirus task force briefing.

At Monday's briefing, Vice President Mike Pence reinforced that states will be responsible for their own testing and that every one in the U.S. has the capacity to enter "phase one" of reopening, despite a chorus of governors’ continued complaints with the testing supply chain, and although some states reopening do not meet the "gating criteria" like a decrease in cases for 14 days.

Trump said the U.S. was already doing "the maximum" -- and claimed some people say that that much testing isn't needed.

States looking to reopen may not necessarily be meeting the White House guidelines, said White House coronavirus response coordinator Deborah Birx, but it's up to governors to makes those decisions, and many Republican-led southern states are leading the way on reopening.

Here are the latest developments in the government response:

Trump repeats new slogan to 'open up America again,' dismisses concerns that easing restrictions could backfire

Trump began Tuesday’s White House briefing by repeating what’s become like a new campaign slogan for him, that he is reopening the country despite a tremendous war underway with an "invisible enemy": the novel coronavirus.

“We are opening up America again. Twenty states, representing 40% of the population have announced that they are making plans and preparations to safely restart their economies in the very near future,” the president said, without providing specifics. “They’re moving along pretty quickly. Three announced today, as you know. And they are going to be doing it safely.”

Several governors have started to ease stay-at-home restrictions, or have announced plans to do as early as next week, despite some of those states reporting an increase of COVID-19 cases.

The "gating criteria" of the White House guidance recommends states demonstrate a two-week downward trend in new cases, ensure that hospitals have enough beds for patients and have adequate testing measures for health care workers in place.

Several experts, including the task force’s own Dr. Anthony Fauci, have expressed concern that loosening social distancing restrictions too soon could backfire and lead to a new spike in cases and deaths.

Trump says he'll ask big companies who received small business loans to give money back

ABC News’ Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl asked Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who appeared at the briefing to declare an interim deal between the White House and congressional leaders, if the administration would ask larger companies like Shake Shack who successfully received a loan from the program to give the money back.

“I'm going to request it,” Trump injected, claiming he will ask some companies like Harvard University to return the money intended for small businesses.

“Harvard’s gonna pay back the money. And they shouldn’t be taking it," Trump said, after the institution received a loan reportedly to help fund its student newspaper. "You have a number of -- I’m not gonna mention any other names, but when I saw Harvard -- they have one of the largest endowments anywhere in the country, maybe in the world, I guess. And they are going to pay back that money."

"I ask people to just make sure the intent of this was for business that needed the money. We’ll put out an FAQ. But, again, the intent of this money was not for big public companies that have access to capital," Mnuchin added.

Asked by Karl if he has an estimate of how many jobs have been saved with the program, Mnuchin put the number at "far over 30 million jobs."

“Again, that doesn't account for other money that we sent out,” he added, pointing to relief checks starting to go out.

The interim deal to replenish the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses adds funding to testing and hospitals, and comes on top of a record $2 trillion coronavirus relief law passed by Congress last month.

Trump clarifies immigration halt would be for 60 days, only for people applying for green cards

President Trump also provided some clarity for his announcement on Twitter late Monday that his administration would temporarily stop immigration into the U.S. amid the pandemic. In an apparent appeal to his base, the president said, “We must first take care of the American worker.”

“This pause will be in effect for 60 days,” Trump clarified. “This order will only apply to individuals seeking a permanent residency. In other words, those receiving green cards, big factor, will not apply to those entering on a temporary basis.”

He said he would probably sign the order, which he said is still being drafted, on Wednesday.

The president also barred asylum seekers from the U.S. last month, citing a drain on the country's medical resources.

Senate approves $484B relief package for small business, hospitals, testing

The Senate unanimously approved a bipartisan deal with a voice vote Tuesday afternoon that will pump another $310 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program, a federal program designed to extend loans to small business owners to help retain their employees for two months and keep their companies afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The overall deal lawmakers and the White House agreed to tops $484 billion and also adds funding for hospitals and a national testing plan, measures pushed for by Democrats.

It comes just weeks after Congress approved a $2 trillion stimulus package, the largest relief measure in American history.

Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., spoke in opposition to the bill, calling for the economy to be re-opened as soon as possible.

"No amount of money -- not all the money in China -- will save us from ourselves," Paul said. "Our only hope of rescuing this great country is to reopen the economy."

The House is expected to vote on the legislation Thursday, and the president has indicated he would promptly sign it.

-- ABC News' Trish Turner, Mariam Khan, Sarah Kolinovsky and Benjamin Siegel


Largest nurses union in US protests in front of White House for personal protective equipment

Donning masks and practicing social distancing, roughly 20 members of the largest nurses union in the U.S. protested at the White House on Tuesday to demand additional funding for mass production of personal protective equipment in the next coronavirus relief package.

“We have a federal government that is failing nurses,” one protester, citing the tens of thousands of health care workers who have become infected with COVID-19.

Representatives of National Nurses United, or NNU, held photos and read aloud the names of 48 registered nurses who have died from COVID-19 as hospitals across the country struggle to provide masks, gowns, gloves, shoe coverings and other equipment for staffers.

The union is calling on Congress to include a mandatory emergency temporary standard for health care workers -- mandating they’re provided with PPE -- in its next COVID-19 legislative package, and on President Trump to fully exercise use of the Defense Production Act to produce PPE as he’s done with ventilators.

“There have been three COVID-19 packages passed in Congress and not one has earmarked any COVID funds for healthcare workers’ PPE in any of those packages,” the protester added. “The president has not fully exercised the Defense Production Act to produce badly needed PPE -- and the CDC continues to weaken its COVID-19 guidance for facilities.”

The CDC has issued guidance for asymptomatic health care workers deemed essential to return to work and for the reuse of cloth gowns and masks after sanitation.

White House and Capitol Hill leaders near deal on small business fund

The Senate is expected to approve a deal as early as Tuesday afternoon that would pump $310 billion into the Paycheck Protection Program, a fund meant to help small businesses that ran out of money within 13 days of its launch.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told CNN Tuesday morning, "I think we will be able to pass this today."

"There are still some more i's to dot and t's to cross, but we have a deal," he added.

He appeared to declare a victory in saying that Democrats achieved their goal of adding a national testing plan as part of the package, but it's unclear how that would pan out.

"To get the kinds of testing that is done, to get the contract tracing, to make the tests free, you need a significant federal involvement, you need a national strategy, and the President and Mnuchin and Meadows agreed to that, to their credit," Schumer said.

The New York senator said he was on a call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows were on a call "well past midnight" to lock down the final details, and staff worked through the night to bang these out into legislative text.

If the legislation passes the Senate Tuesday, the House is expected to consider it as early as Thursday.

Schumer said Democrats pushed for and got a $25 billion national testing plan, $125 billion walled off in PPP for underbanked communities, $75 billion for hospitals, and commitment that states and local officials can use federal money for "lost revenues," something he said was needed by this group.

WH national security adviser defends potential immigration executive order

White House National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien defended President Trump's potential immigration executive order in an appearance on Fox and Friends Tuesday morning.

O'Brien said the potential action is part of Trump's effort to "do everything he can to put the health of the American people first during this crisis."

"It's one step. It's not dissimilar to the restrictions on travel from China he implemented back on January 29th," he said. "We think those restrictions saved thousands or tens of thousands of lives."

"The president is not going to be guided by politics, he's going to be guided by doing what's best for the health of the American people," he said, adding that it's also meant to protect the American economy as well.

Asked if he thinks Trump regrets being so complimentary to Chinese President Xi Jinping given China's handling of the initial coronavirus outbreak, O'Brien said Trump is "always complementary" with foreign leaders and a "real gentleman" on the phone with world leaders.

"We want to get along with China, we have a trade deal," he said, "but China needs to behave in a fashion that makes them a responsible player in the world."

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