To expedite comprehensive immigration reform in the United States, President Trump and members of both parties in Congress held discussions at the White House on four major immigration reform topics: border security, chain migration, visa lottery, and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy.
During the meeting, the President stated, "This must be a bill to end chain migration," and expressed hope that the bill would terminate the green card lottery program, achieve immigration control, and ensure the security of the southern border of the United States.
In response to the President's call, a Republican version of the comprehensive immigration reform proposal led by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte has officially been released!
Next, let’s take a look at the main contents of the proposal:
1. Overall Reduction of Immigration Numbers
Reduce the current average annual immigration quota of 1.06 million by 260,000, resulting in a total immigration quota reduction of approximately 25%.
2. Increase Quotas for High-Skilled Immigrants
Increase the annual immigration visa quota for the EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 employment-based immigration categories from approximately 120,000 to 175,000 (an increase of over 45%), thereby increasing the number of highly educated and skilled immigrants.
3. End the "Immigration Chain" Based on Family Relationships
Only allow citizens and green card holders to apply for green cards for their spouses and unmarried children under 18, establish a new temporary visa category for citizens' parents for family reunification, and eliminate all other categories of family-based immigration.
4. Terminate the Diversity Visa Program
This means abolishing the green card lottery system and completely removing this category from the green card program.
5. Legalize the Status of DACA Affected Individuals
Provide three years of legal status for DACA affected individuals, allowing them to work legally in the United States and travel freely across borders;
No special pathway will be established for them to obtain a green card, but they can apply for a green card through existing methods;
Gang members, individuals with criminal records, and those with a series of convictions in juvenile court will not be eligible for the above policy.
6. Prevent Future Illegal Immigration
Enforce E-Verify, meaning U.S. employers must only hire legally authorized immigrants;
Combat asylum fraud, tighten the review standards for asylum applications, and increase penalties for false applications. Once it is confirmed that previous asylum applications were fraudulent or violated relevant regulations, deportation processes will be initiated for the applicants;
Overstaying one’s visa will be treated as a misdemeanor under federal law.
Although it is uncertain whether this comprehensive immigration reform proposal will ultimately be passed and implemented by Congress, the proposal essentially represents the basic direction of the Republican Party's immigration reform efforts.