President Biden signs executive orders on climate, virus

President Joe Biden has signed a series of executive orders from the Oval Office hours after his inauguration.

News 12 Staff

Jan 20, 2021, 10:59 PM

Updated 1,359 days ago

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President Joe Biden has signed a series of executive orders from the Oval Office hours after his inauguration.
Biden wore a mask while seated behind the Resolute Desk with a stack of orders early Wednesday evening. He said there was “no time to start like today.”
The first order Biden signed was related to the coronavirus pandemic. He also signed an order reentering the U.S. into the Paris climate accord.
Presidential historian Ken Grossman says right out of the gate, Biden tackled several immigration issues as well. He says that shows Biden's ability to hopefully unify the country.
"It sets the bar higher for restoring the promise of America as the place that welcomes diversity and people with skills and work ethic to improve our economy," says Grossman.
Biden also focused on safeguarding DACA, which offers work permits and deportation relief to undocumented immigrants, is something on the minds of many. This includes Benito Abat, who came here from Ecuador and is now an American citizen.
"Fortunately, I'm a citizen, but I have friends without papers, they are honest people working hard," says Abat, of Cold Spring Harbor.
Biden will look to reverse many of the 400 immigration changes President Donald Trump made without approval from Congress, including the pre-pandemic travel and immigration restrictions on several Muslim countries.
Biden is also challenging all Americans to wear a mask for the first 100 days of his administration. The request comes after the country's COVID-19 death toll crossed 400,000 Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The Associated Press was used in this report.