Trump's new immigration plan reportedly focuses on skills over family ties

On Thursday, President Trump will reveal his new proposal to revamp parts of the country's immigration system. The plan offers more opportunities for immigrants with certain skills or job offers who are proficient in English and pass a civics test, senior White House officials told The New York Times on Wednesday.

Trump will unveil the plan, which was developed by his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, at a ceremony in the Rose Garden. The proposal cuts back on family-based immigration, which lets immigrants bring their children and spouses to the U.S., officials said. It also calls for construction of Trump's long-promised southern border wall, but does not address providing legal status to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients or reduce the overall level of immigration.

An official admitted to the Times that it's likely the proposal won't be popular with Republican or Democratic lawmakers or passed in the near future, but said it represents the "first step toward having that discussion."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up