Donald Trump has unveiled plans for a new US immigration system designed to favour younger, better-educated, English-speaking workers.
Announcing the plan, the US president said he wants to move away from the current approach that favours applicants with family ties to the US. He also pledged that border security would be tightened and a stricter line taken on asylum seekers.
He boasted that his proposals would make US immigration “the envy of the modern world”.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
However, The Guardian reports that “before the US President even stepped up to the lectern in the White House Rose Garden” opponents had “declared the sweeping reforms dead on arrival’”.
The Washington Post said Trump’s announcement “drew a cool reception” and CNN said the plan “faces an uphill battle for consensus even among the Republican Party's own ranks”.
CBS News said Democrats “would not support legislation that does not include a pathway to citizenship”.
The new policy is the outcome of months of talks between Trump’s senior adviser Jared Kushner and several conservative groups.
Trump says his proposals will use “an easy-to-navigate, point-based selection system” to determine eligibility.
“You will get more points for being a younger worker, meaning you will contribute more to our social safety net. You will get more points for having a valuable skill, an offer of employment, an advanced education or a plan to create jobs,” he said at the lectern.
The president said his plan wouldn't change the total number of green cards offered annually but would increase the proportion allocated to skilled workers.
“We want immigrants coming in. We cherish the open door that we want to create for our country,” he said. “But a big proportion of those immigrants must come in through merit and skill.”
Opposition to the plan is already strong. The Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, described it as “condescending” and dismissed Trump’s concept of “merit,” saying: "it’s non-merit - it means merit in the eyes of Donald Trump”.
Trump’s plans would have to be approved by Congress where Democrats currently control the lower house. “This dead-on-arrival plan is not a remotely serious proposal," said Pelosi.
Amnesty International described the reform as “an outrageous attempt to shut doors to everyone but the most wealthy and privileged individuals, circumventing human rights and legal obligations toward asylum-seekers”.
Australia and Canada both already use point-based systems to determine if someone qualifies to enter the country as a skilled worker.
-
Should you downsize for retirement? Here's what to consider.The Explainer Moving to a smaller place may seem easier, but there are also some real benefits to staying put
-
What to do if you want to move but don't want to give up your low mortgage ratethe explainer 30-year mortgage rates are currently averaging 7% — and homeowners who secured rates closer to 3% during the pandemic are reluctant to sell their homes
-
Sudoku medium: September 1, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
What will security guarantees for Ukraine look like?Today's Big Question From boots on the ground to economic sanctions, here are the measures that might stop Russia taking another bite out of Ukraine
-
Will Ukraine trade territory for peace?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Kyiv’s defences are wearing thin but a land swap is constitutionally impossible and crosses Zelenskyy's red lines
-
Russia tries Ukraine land grab before Trump summitSpeed Read The incursion may be part of Putin's efforts to boost his bargaining position
-
Europe counters Putin ahead of Trump summitSpeed Read President Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska this week for Ukraine peace talks
-
Is Trump's new peacemaking model working in DR Congo?Talking Point Truce brokered by the US president in June is holding, but foundations of a long-term peace have let to be laid
-
Who wins from a Trump-Putin meeting?Today's Big Question Trump might get the leaders together for a photo op but brokering a peace deal won’t be easy
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
