Trump backs bill limiting legal immigration that favors skilled, well-educated English speakers
President Donald Trump has announced his support for a bill that would reduce legal immigration while favoring those who have job skills, higher education levels and the ability to speak English.
Trump said the bill “ends chain migration,” the system that gives immigration preference to family members of those already in the United States, the Los Angeles Times reports. The bill would cut legal immigration by more than half over the next decade, according to Politico. NBC News and the Washington Post also have stories; a press release is here.
The legislation caps the number of refugees at 50,000 per year and eliminates a visa lottery that awards green cards to people in areas with fewer U.S. immigrants. It also bars new immigrants from receiving welfare benefits.
The bill is known as the RAISE Act–“Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment.” It faces opposition from Democrats and some Republicans.
I campaigned on creating a merit-based immigration system that protects U.S. workers & taxpayers. Watch: https://t.co/lv3ScSKnF6 #RAISEAct pic.twitter.com/zCFK5OfYnB
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 2, 2017
