Joe Biden to overturn Muslim travel ban in his first hours in office

In his first hours as US president, Joe Biden plans to take executive action to roll back many of the most controversial decisions of his predecessor and also to address the raging coronavirus pandemic, his incoming chief of staff said.

The opening salvo would herald a 10-day blitz of executive actions as Mr Biden seeks to do something swiftly to redirect the country in the wake of Donald Trump's presidency without looking forward to Congress.

On Wednesday, following his inauguration, Mr Biden will end Mr Trump's restriction on immigration to the US from some Muslim-majority countries, proceed to rejoin the Paris climate accord and mandate mask-wearing on federal property and during interstate travel. Those are among roughly a dozen actions Mr Biden will take on his first day in the White House, his incoming chief of staff, Ron Klain, said in a memo to senior staff.

Other actions include extending the pause on education loan repayments and measures to avoid evictions and foreclosures for those struggling through the pandemic.

“These executive actions will deliver relief to the an incredible number of Americans that are struggling when confronted with these crises,” Mr Klain said in the memo.

“President-elect Biden will need action - not simply to reverse the gravest damages of the Trump administration - but also to begin moving our country forward.”

Mr Klain said "full achievement” of Mr Biden’s goals would require Congress to do something, including on the $1.9 trillion virus relief bill he outlined on Thursday. Mr Biden may also propose a thorough immigration reform bill on his first day in office, he said.

Providing a way to citizenship for an incredible number of immigrants who are in the US illegally will be part of Mr Biden's agenda, according to persons briefed on his plans. Ali Noorani, president of the National Immigration Forum and among those briefed, said immigrants would be placed on an eight-year path. There would be a faster track for those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme, which shields people from deportation who found the US as children, and for all those from strife-torn countries with temporary status.

On Thursday, the new president's second day in office, Mr Biden will sign orders related to the Covid-19 outbreak targeted at reopening schools and businesses and expanding virus testing, Mr Klain said.

The next day, action will be taken to provide monetary relief to those suffering the monetary costs of the pandemic.

In the next week, Mr Biden will take additional actions associated with criminal justice reform, climate change and immigration - including a directive to speed up the reuniting of families separated at the US-Mexico border under Mr Trump’s policies, Mr Klain said.

More actions will be added after they clear legal review, he said.

Presidents traditionally move swiftly to sign an array of executive actions once they take office. Mr Trump did the same, but he found a lot of his orders challenged and even rejected by courts.

Mr Klain maintained that Mr Biden should not suffer similar issues.

"The legal theory in it is well-founded and represents a restoration of a proper, constitutional role for the president," he said.