In his first hours and first day as US president, Joe Biden will be signing a series of executive actions that reverse his predecessor’s orders on immigration, climate change and handling of the pandemic.
Biden’s first presidential actions would also include sending a comprehensive bill on immigration to the Congress, incoming White House officials said.
The immigration bill proposes a eight-year pathway to illegal immigrants and removing the per country cap for employment-based green cards, a move that would benefit hundreds and thousands of Indian IT professionals in the US, whose current wait period for legal permanent residency runs into several decades.
“President-elect Biden is taking historic action on day one to advance his agenda — including signing 15 executive actions and asking agencies to take steps in an additional two areas. This compares to two day one executive actions from Biden’s four predecessors in the White House combined,” incoming White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
Biden will continue to take action over the next 10 days — and over his entire time in office — to address the four crises that he’s laid out, she said.
Biden will sign executive orders, memoranda, directives and letters to take initial steps to address Covid-19 pandemic, providing economic relief, tackling climate change and advancing racial equity, officials said.
Biden will take action – not just to reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration – but also to start moving the country forward. These actions are bold and begin the work of following through his promises to Americans, according to a fact sheet issued by the Biden Transition.
One of his first acts would be to launch his “100 Days Masking Challenge,” asking Americans to mask up for 100 days. He will issue an executive order requiring masks and physical distancing in all federal buildings, on all federal lands, and by federal employees and contractors.
Biden will also take action to cease the Trump administration’s process of withdrawing from the World Health Organisation. The Biden-Harris administration with Dr Antony Fauci as the head of the delegation will participate at the ongoing WHO executive board meeting. Fauci is America’s top infectious disease expert.
Biden will issue a presidential memorandum withdrawing Trump administration’s regulatory process executive orders to remove those needless obstacles to regulating in the public’s interest. He will direct office of management and budget director Neera Tanden to develop recommendations for improving and modernising regulatory review.
Biden will sign a presidential memorandum directing homeland security to take appropriate actions to provide temporary relief from deportation on a case-by-case basis to Dreamers. It will call on Congress to enact law providing permanent status and a path to citizenship for people who came to the US as children and have contributed to the nation for many years.
