Chain Migration: H.R. 477 (2013)

H.R. 477, the Nuclear Family Priority Act, would eliminate the family-based green card categories that are directly responsible for endless chains of family migration. The current annual limits on green cards are 78,000 for parents, 65,000 for adult brothers and sisters, 23,400 for married sons and daughters and 23,400 for unmarried adult sons and daughters. H.R. 477 would eliminate the latter three categories, create a special non-working visa for parents, and not provide an increase in any other category, thereby directly decreasing overall immigration by more than 111,800 per year (1.118 million a decade). This would indirectly reduce the numbers by even more over time as there would be fewer recent immigrants who are the ones most likely to bring people into the country as spouses or parents of U.S. citizens.