The Securing America’s Future Act has been introduced to Congress by key Republicans in the House of Representatives, with White House support, as their way of solving the current impasse on immigration. The new bill would have massive adverse effects on the nation’s economic and labor force and offer the most severe restrictions on legal immigration in the US since the 1920s.
The bill, also known as H.R 4760, would see the number of legal immigrants in the US slashed by over 38 percent, or 420,000 individuals, next year. This is a far larger figure than the 25 percent/260,000 that the bill’s authors originally advertised. The bill has much in common with the RAISE act in the Senate, endorsed by President Donald Trump, and would see the number of legal immigrants to the country reduced by 43 percent or over 470,000. Both the bills would also eventually see further reductions in legal immigration.
The diversity green card lottery would end in both bills, with sponsoring of family members to enter the US by current legal residents also banned except for minors and spouses. Millions of people waiting to become legal immigrants for years would have their applications canceled. But, the House bill would allow for a modest increase in the employment-based quota.
Critics argue that labor force growth is vital to economic growth and that US Gross Domestic Product is currently increased by around $2 trillion per annum because of immigrants.