First appearance on Fox: A group of House Republicans is eyeing a crackdown on certain legal immigration routes into the United States, citing “exploitation and abuse” of the system.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, called the Nuclear Families First Act, which aims to limit who can obtain family-sponsored immigrant visas. submitted a bill. Critics refer to the abuse of family support systems as “chain migration.”
“Unrestricted chain immigration has allowed intolerable exploitation and abuse of our immigration system. We are thrilled to introduce this bill that will help restore the rule of law, prevent overburdening our country, and strengthen our national security. I’m proud,” Crane said. Fox News Digital.
Massachusetts closes community center for shelter migrants, sparking backlash
Representative Eli Crane (right) is leading a conservative bill that would restrict family immigration to the United States. The bill is supported by several Republican hardliners, including Representative Andy Ogles and Representative Mary Miller (pictured in the background). (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“I’m grateful to former Congresswoman Jody Hice for introducing this bill last Congress, and to my co-sponsors for working with us this Congress,” Crane said.
If passed, the bill would eliminate the expanded category of non-nuclear family visas and limit eligibility for family support visas to only nuclear family members (usually spouses and their children).
According to the National Immigration Forum, this will also lower the annual threshold for new family sponsor visas, which currently stands at 480,000.
Special circumstances will be considered for visa applicants seeking to care for U.S.-based parents.
Republican senators furious at Biden administration for providing veteran health care resources to illegal immigrants
The Crane bill would remove “parents” from the State Department’s list of “immediate relatives” eligible for family sponsor visas. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency)
The bill is backed by Republican hardliners, including one of its co-sponsors, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-Va.). Others include Rep. Andy Biggs, Republican of Arizona. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont. Bill Posey, Republican of Florida. Mary Miller, Republican of Illinois. and Andy Ogles, Republican.
According to the State Department, family immigrant visas fall into two main categories: immediate family and family preference.
Immediate family members are the spouse, children, or parents of the person applying for the visa. “The number of immigrants in these categories will not be limited per fiscal year,” the ministry’s website states.
Crane’s bill would remove parents from that list, according to a document obtained by Fox News Digital.
Illegal Salvadoran immigrant arrested in connection with murder of 2-year-old Maryland boy
Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good is also a supporter of the bill.
Family preference refers to “certain more distant family relationships with U.S. citizens and certain relationships with lawful permanent residents (LPRs),” including parents, children, siblings, and spouses. Permanent residents are limited to spouses and unmarried children. According to the State Department, there are caps on immigrant visas in this category.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Critics of the system argue that people who enter the United States through family members and then overstay their visas are fueling the ongoing immigration crisis.
According to the conservative think tank Federation for American Immigration Reform, there are 16.8 million illegal immigrants in the United States.
