President Trump this evening released his much-awaited immigration policy "principles" that include an end to chain migration and a requirement for all businesses to use E-Verify to end the hiring of illegal workers. The administration says it is "ready to work with Congress to achieve three immigration policy objectives to ensure safe and lawful admissions; defend the safety and security of our country; and protect American workers and taxpayers."
NumbersUSA President Roy Beck released this statement to the news media:
Based on our earlier internal surveys, the Trump Administration's release of immigration policy priorities is certain to reassure and even thrill most of the 8 million members of the NumbersUSA online network who expect that policy to put American workers and communities first. That was the promise that Pres. Trump made in his campaign, and it is exciting to see the promise re-stated in so much detail.
"Most politicians who have been commenting lately on immigration policy have failed to show the compassion and support that the Trump Administration is offering the women and men of America who want a decent shot at a decent job without having to compete with millions of new foreign workers being added to compete with them.
"We would note that among the Administration's many important and much-needed changes in policy, two stand out and perhaps would provide more benefit than all the rest combined: (1) ending the chain migration categories giving lifetime work permits for extended family of immigrants, and (2) mandating E-Verify to stop outlaw employers from choosing illegal workers over Americans and legal immigrants already here for construction, manufacturing, hospitality and other occupations.
The principles were released in a document that included the following details and which was titled:
Trump Administration Immigration Policy Priorities
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BORDER SECURITY
Build a southern border wall and close legal loopholes that enable illegal immigration and swell the court backlog.
- Fund and complete construction of the southern border wall.
- Authorize the Department of Homeland Security to raise and collect fees from visa services and border-crossings
- Fund border security and enforcement activities.
- Ensure the safe and expeditious return of Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) and family units.
- End abuse of our asylum system by tightening standards, imposing penalties for fraud, and ensuring detention while claims are verified.
- Remove illegal border crossers quickly by hiring an additional 370 Immigration Judges and 1,000 ICE attorneys.
- Discourage illegal re-entry by enhancing penalties and expanding categories of inadmissibility.
- Improve expedited removal.
- Increase northern border security.
INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT
Enforce our immigration laws and return visa overstays.
- Protect innocent people in sanctuary cities.
- Authorize and incentivize States and localities to help enforce Federal immigration laws.
- Strengthen law enforcement by hiring 10,000 more ICE officers and 300 Federal prosecutors.
- End visa overstays by establishing reforms to ensure their swift removal.
- Stop catch-and-release by correcting judicial actions that prevent ICE from keeping dangerous aliens in custody pending removal and expanding the criteria for expedited removal.
- Prevent gang members from receiving immigration benefits.
- Protect U.S. workers by requiring E-Verify and strengthening laws to stop employment discrimination against U.S. workers.
- Improve visa security by expanding State Department’s authority to combat visa fraud, ensuring funding of the Visa Security Program, and expanding it to high-risk posts.
MERIT-BASED IMMIGRATION SYSTEM
Establish reforms that protect American workers and promote financial success.
- End extended-family chain migration by limiting family-based green cards to include spouses and minor children.
- Establish a points-based system for green cards to protect U.S. workers and taxpayers.
Read here for more details.
