Donald Trump says a suspension on immigration for two months is to protect the American worker.
He announced the restrictions to slow the spread of Covid-19.
There are more than 820,000 confirmed cases in the US, including more than 40,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
The US President says it does not affect temporary workers, and will mean unemployed Americans will be first in line for jobs as the nation re-opens.
"It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off from the virus to be replaced with new immigrant labour flown in from abroad.
"We must first take care of the American worker - the American worker."
