A group of House Republicans led by Rep. Eli Crane have introduced a bill called the “Nuclear Family Priority Act” aimed at cracking down on certain legal immigration pathways to the United States. The bill seeks to limit who can receive family-sponsored immigrant visas in order to prevent what critics call the abuse of the system through chain migration. Crane and his supporters argue that unrestricted chain migration has led to exploitation of the immigration system and have vowed to restore the rule of law, protect national security, and prevent the nation from being overburdened.
If passed, the bill would eliminate extended, non-nuclear family visa categories and restrict eligibility for family-sponsored visas to nuclear family members only, typically consisting of spouses and their children. It would also reduce the baseline yearly cap for new family-sponsored visas from the current 480,000 and consider special circumstances for visa applicants seeking to care for their U.S.-based parents. The bill has garnered support from GOP hardliners, including House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good and several other Republican representatives who are cosponsors of the legislation.
The State Department separates family immigration visas into two main categories: immediate relatives and family preference. Immediate relatives include spouses, children, and parents of the person applying for the visa, with no limit on the number of immigrants in these categories each fiscal year. Crane’s bill would remove parents from this list, according to details obtained by Fox News Digital. Family preference visas are for more distant family relationships, such as siblings, parents, and spouses of U.S. citizens, as well as some specified relationships with Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR). Immigrant visas in this category are capped, according to the State Department.
Critics of the current immigration system argue that individuals overstaying their visas after entering the U.S. through a family member are contributing to the ongoing migrant crisis. There are an estimated 16.8 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a conservative-leaning think tank. The bill introduced by Rep. Crane and his fellow House Republicans aims to address these concerns by tightening restrictions on family-sponsored visas and preventing further exploitation of the immigration system.
The bill has received support from key members of the House Freedom Caucus, as well as other GOP representatives who are cosponsors of the legislation. It is part of a broader effort by conservative lawmakers to address issues related to legal immigration and national security. Critics argue that the current system allows for abuse and exploitation, leading to an influx of illegal immigrants and contributing to the ongoing migrant crisis. The Nuclear Family Priority Act seeks to restore the rule of law, prevent overburdening of the nation, and bolster national security by limiting who can receive family-sponsored immigrant visas and addressing concerns related to chain migration.
