WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a move that would damage our nation’s competitiveness and undermine family unity, the Trump administration and two Republican senators are working together to curb legal immigration.
Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and David Perdue (R-Georgia) are working with the Trump administration on a revised version of the RAISE Act, legislation they introduced earlier this year. Like the original bill, the modified bill is expected to cut by half the number of new legal immigrants to our country by 2027.
The bill would restrict immigration for family members of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents, eliminate the Diversity Visa Lottery and limit the number of refugees offered permanent resident status.
Current visa programs do not meet the needs of businesses and a healthy economy that creates jobs and benefits American workers. And the Cotton-Perdue legislation would represent a huge cut even from that.
“Slashing legal immigration will harm American workers and families. You don’t fix a broken system by taking a knife to it. What’s the rationale?” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “A healthy economy depends on immigration. The Trump administration and Congress should promote legal immigration, not undercut it.”