Donald Trump said Tuesday his forthcoming executive order barring new immigration will apply only to people seeking green cards, last 60 days and won’t affect workers entering the country on a temporary basis.

Spelling out details of the measure for the first time since tweeting late Monday he would “temporarily suspend immigration into the United States”, Trump announced something short of a full halt on immigration amid the pandemic.

Instead, he said the provision would amount to a 60-day pause only on people seeking permanent resident status in the United States.

Trump said the executive order is being written now and he is likely to sign it on Wednesday. He said he would review the executive order at the end of that period and decide if it should be renewed.

Trump suggested there will be economic effects of the order, indicating it would protect American workers, and noted that it will have certain exemptions.

“By pausing immigration, we’ll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens. It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labor flown in from abroad. We must first take care of the American workers. Details on exemptions might come tonight or tomorrow”, - explained Trump.