Trump to propose plan to make U.S. immigration more merit-based

By Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the 38th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 15, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will outline on Thursday a plan to harden border security and overhaul the legal immigration system to favour applicants who speak English, are well-educated and have job offers, senior administration officials said.

 

Trump's immigration proposal, the product largely of senior advisers Jared Kushner and Stephen Miller and economic aide Kevin Hassett, is an effort to rally Republicans on an issue that has often divided them.

 

While its chances of approval by Congress seem distant, the plan will give Republicans an outline they can say they favour as Trump and lawmakers look toward the November 2020 presidential and congressional elections, where immigration will likely be a key issue.

 

For decades, U.S. immigration laws have given priority to family-based immigration, and about two-thirds of all people granted green cards each year have family ties to people in the United States.

 

Trump's plan would keep legal immigration steady at 1.1 million people a year, but family-based immigration would account for only a third of that.

 

Instead, high-skilled people with jobs would be given priority, and could bring with them their spouses and children, the officials told reporters at a White House briefing on Wednesday.

 

It would harden the border by building more of Trump's coveted southern border wall and improve inspections of goods and people at ports of entry to fight drug smuggling. It would propose an increase in fees collected at the border to pay for border security infrastructure.

 

"Our goal in the short term is to make sure that we are laying out what the president's policy is in terms of what he's looking for from immigration reform, and we would like to see if we could get the Republican Party to come together on these two pillars, which we think is a very, very logical, very mainstream point of view," said one official.

 

Trump will present an overview of the plan, with details of the "very large document" to be released in coming weeks, the official said.

 

SHIFT TO SKILLED WORKERS

It does not address some of the hot-button issues in the immigration debate, such as what to do about the surge of people crossing the southern border from Mexico.

 

Nor does it deal with the "Dreamer" children of immigrants in the country illegally or immigrants in the country under Temporary Protected Status, both of whom are priorities of Democratic lawmakers. The plan also does not include provisions to help farmers and other seasonal employers obtain more guest workers.

 

Instead, Kushner and others looked at the legal migration systems of Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand for clues on how to shift U.S. policy more toward attracting skilled workers and less on uniting extended families.

 

After studying the systems of the other countries, they found that 12% of migration to the United States was based on employment and skill, compared with 63% for Canada, 57% for New Zealand, 68% for Australia and 52% for Japan.

 

By giving a preference to immigrants proficient in English and with degrees or training and job offers, the officials said the plan would allow 57% of green cards, which grant permanent legal residency, to be based on employment.

 

Trump will propose ending the diversity lottery system, which offers applicants from countries with low immigration rates the chance to move to the United States.

 

The plan also proposes changes to the asylum process, which the Trump administration says is abused. It would result in 10 percent of green cards being given to immigration for humanitarian reasons, down from 22 percent currently.

 

Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham proposed legislation on Wednesday to deal with the surge of migrants from Central America at the southern U.S. border, changes the administration officials described as needed to address the immediate crisis.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)

 



-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-16

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Just when you thought Trump's term couldn't get better he surprises us again. Wonderful news, Bravo Mr.Trump. This was sorely needed. Immigration based on merit, how else should a self respecting nation organize their immigration? I know, I know, merit based immigration will not favor the democrats like open borders, sanctuary cities and catch and release, but in the greater scheme of things this is a yuuge winner of an idea. Good luck with implementing this. A+++

Just too bad the USA doesn't have a merit based Presidency.

 

Maybe losing 1 Billion USD over a 10 year period applies?

 

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by Silurian

Does this mean we can deport Donald!!

And no doubt based on his "merit" system the highest rankings will be given to Saudi Arabian nationals wishing to train as pilots or Saudi Arabian morticians who like to travel a lot to foreign embassies !!

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Just when you thought Trump's term couldn't get better he surprises us again.

 

Hit the nail on its head.  The Trump presidency is at rock-bottom and simply cannot get any better.

‘Einstein’ visa for the likes of Malania who then brings in her father with his special skills:

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/melanias-dad-a-new-american-citizen-with-a-record-in-yugoslavias-secret-police-files

 

#BeBest

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by Chomper Higgot

Merit based immigration is not a stupid idea. Not a Trump fan in general, but I support this proposal.

5 hours ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Just when you thought Trump's term couldn't get better he surprises us again. Wonderful news, Bravo Mr.Trump. This was sorely needed. Immigration based on merit, how else should a self respecting nation organize their immigration? I know, I know, merit based immigration will not favor the democrats like open borders, sanctuary cities and catch and release, but in the greater scheme of things this is a yuuge winner of an idea. Good luck with implementing this. A+++

Nor does it support an American ideal as presented by the Statue of Liberty. And I oppose The Donald based on his own words, policies and actions. That said, I am increasingly open to reciprocity in bi-country relations. All need to realize that the wealthy can already buy into immigration by investing. This can be seen in other countries also.

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by wwest5829

Well, Melania Knavss got an Einstein Visa, so there you go.

 

I guess she was studying Quantum Modelling?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The merit system works well in the above listed countries. No reason to believe it would not be good for USA also.

Trump could propose almost anything and the reaction from some of you would be exactly the same.

 

Trump can change his opinion on almost anything overnight.

 

Tell me how Melania's parents, a used car salesman and a factory worker got green cards?

 

It's pretty simple, she petitioned for them as first preference family immigrants.

 

So it seems the now evil change migration was perfectly fine back then!

 

We live in very strange times

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by GinBoy2

1 hour ago, DoctorG said:

The merit system works well in the above listed countries. No reason to believe it would not be good for USA also.

Trump could propose almost anything and the reaction from some of you would be exactly the same.

 

Yes, the triggered tds lefties on the forum are consistent. 

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by elmrfudd

credit where credit is due. educating then booting talented people is insane.

 

but, Donald is still a turd. so there!

 

 

As I have commented before re Australian migration policy, the deal is: As long as you - The Government - keep control over our borders, with good selection for skills required by our economy & society, then we - The People - will consent to a high level of migration every year.

 

If, however, you lose control over our borders - as the wunnerful Labor Party did when in office a few years ago (yes, the same Labor Party that will likely win the Federal election this Saturday), then all bets are off.

Edited May 16, 20197 yr by mfd101

Seems like the Jared and Stephen Immigration Show was a bust; variously described by supporters and detractors as "DOA", and "Lose, Lose".

 

Oh well, back to the kid's table for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merit base would surely put entitlements even further in the red! What happens to the  illegal imms. when they get accepted as citizens! They will be competing for the same jobs as new legal merit base arrivals , originally they weren't eligible to have jobs because of their status

Edited May 17, 20197 yr by riclag

2 hours ago, riclag said:

hey will be competing for the same jobs as new legal merit base arrivals 

 

Trophy wives from eastern Europe duking it out with gals from Sweden no doubt.

 

But don't fret, this steaming pile of doo has already been flushed down the gold-plated toilet. Who's tired of all the winning?

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 5/16/2019 at 8:04 AM, TopDeadSenter said:

Immigration based on merit, how else should a self respecting nation organize their immigration?

Of course if that had been in place decades ago then America wouldn't be the place that it is today because the very people who helped build that country wouldn't be allowed in.

 

But it's okay for friendly and enhanced foreign bimbos to occupy prestigious positions in the White House, all this because of a halfwit who decides to make up the rules as he goes along, and also override anything which he doesn't like with the cry of "national emergency".

 

He will get his comeuppance one way or another, and soon, if American history is anything to go by.

Another "book report" embarrassing fail by the nepotism boy Kushner. First the middle east, now this -- he needs to go back to New York.