US President Donald Trump has on Friday, April 10, ordered a new visa sanction norm that provides for visa denial against those countries that do not accept their citizens who are currently in the United States.

The new memorandum for visa sanctions, motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic was released by the White House on Friday night.

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New memorandum released

The memorandum would be effective immediately and remains valid till December 31, this year; says that the countries "denying or unreasonably delaying" the repatriation of their citizens would be deemed to be causing "unacceptable public health risks for Americans".

"Countries that deny or unreasonably delay the acceptance of their citizens, subjects, nationals, or residents from the United States during the ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 create unacceptable public health risks for Americans," Trump said in his memorandum.

US to 'effectuate the repatriation'

Addressed to the Homeland Security Secretary and Secretary of State, Trump said the US must be able to effectuate the repatriation of foreign nationals who violate the laws of the United States.

The process in this regard would be initiated by the secretary of Homeland Security who would identify the countries which do not accept America's request of repatriation of their citizens, if that is impeding their operations to the ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2.

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Thereafter the secretary of Homeland Security would notify the Secretary of State. Within seven days of receiving such a notification, the Secretary of State would impose visa restrictions on such a country, Trump said in his memorandum.

Visa sanctions to be lifted soon

Visa sanctions would be lifted as soon as the Secretary of Homeland Security notifies the Secretary of State that a foreign country has resumed accepting aliens without unreasonable delay who are its citizens, subjects, nationals, or residents when asked to accept those aliens.

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