RockIt News

Menu
  • Cartoons
  • Commentary
  • Polls
  • Video

Trump Rolls Out Merit-Based Plan to Transform Immigration System

Fred Lucas | May 17, 2019 | Commentary | No Comments
1022

SHARES

Share!Tweet!

Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

President Donald Trump introduced what he called a “big, beautiful, bold” plan to “transform America’s immigration system” from one of random entry to a meritocracy.

“Instead of admitting people through random chance, we will establish simple, universal criteria for admission to the United States,” Trump said Thursday in the Rose Garden.

“No matter where in the world you were born, no matter who your relatives are, if you want to become an American citizen, it will be clear exactly what standard we ask you to achieve. It will be made crystal clear,” Trump told an audience that included administration officials and Republican members of Congress.

The president noted that the last immigration overhaul happened 54 years ago. His plan would change the makeup of legal immigrants, but keep the total number at about 1.1 million a year.

During his remarks, Trump pointed to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who introduced a border security bill Wednesday, and said he hopes to see that bill pass in the interim.

The president acknowledged that “for some reason, possibly political,” his proposal wouldn’t immediately pass and would have to wait until after the 2020 election. Senior administration officials said Wednesday that a chief goal of the plan is to unify Republican support behind a set of common goals.

Several Democrats, such as Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., expressed immediate opposition to the Trump plan.

Trump’s nativist proposal is a mockery of what America means. These draconian guidelines are a message to people just like my father: you are not welcome here. It is a despicable abdication of moral authority by the President of the United States.

— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) May 16, 2019

“The system will finally be fair, transparent, and promote equality for all,” Trump said.

The current system doesn’t attract the best immigrants, he said.

“We discriminate against brilliance,” he said. “We discriminate against genius.”

The portion of legal immigrants entering the country for job-related reasons would rise from 12% to 57% under the plan.

Family-based immigration, which currently makes up two-thirds of all immigration, would decrease to one-third. Admissions via asylum or diversity visa would decrease by more than half, from 22% to 10%.

The plan would prioritize spouses, children, and parents for family unification, but not extended family.

“Currently, 66% of immigrants come here on the basis of random chance, they are admitted solely because they have a relative in the United States, and it doesn’t really matter who that relative is,” Trump said. “Random selection is contrary to American values and blocks out many potential immigrants from around the world who have much to contribute.”

The president added: “Our proposal builds upon our nation’s rich history of immigration, while strengthening the bonds of citizenship that bind us together as a national family.”

The Trump plan would eliminate the Diversity Visa Lottery system that admits about 55,000 people a year. However, a merit-based point system would take diversity from underrepresented countries into consideration.

New immigrants would be classified under extraordinary talent visas, professional vocation visas, and extraordinary student visas.

Visas would be issued on a point-based system, more in line with Canada, Japan, New Zealand, and other countries, officials said.

“Future immigrants will be required to learn English and to pass a civics exam prior to admission,” Trump said.

Fred Lucas is the White House correspondent for The Daily Signal and co-host of “The Right Side of History” podcast. This article originally appeared in The Daily Signal and is reprinted by permission.

1022

SHARES

Share!Tweet!

Email or print:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Tags:Donald Trump, Immigration, Immigration Policy

Related Posts

  • Obama Has Ignored Domestic Jihadist Attacks for Years
    1 Comment | Oct 24, 2014
  • Omar, CAIR, And Birds Of A Feather
    No Comments | Mar 20, 2019
  • Voters Seeking a President Who Believes in Peace Through Strength
    No Comments | May 20, 2015
  • Colleges Cheat All The Time
    1 Comment | Mar 18, 2019

Get More on Facebook!

Get More on Facebook!

Rockit Info

  • RockIt Columnists
  • About RockIt

Recent Posts

  • No, the Electoral College Is Not ‘Affirmative Action’ for Rural Voters
  • The New York Times Is Lying About America’s Struggle With Slavery
  • They’ve Lost Their Minds in San Francisco
  • Now They’re Coming For Your Water Bottles
  • The Media Embraces Anti-Semitism

Archives

  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • May 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014

3

electoral college

No, the Electoral College Is Not ‘Affirmative Action’ for Rural Voters

slavery

The New York Times Is Lying About America’s Struggle With Slavery

San Francisco

They’ve Lost Their Minds in San Francisco

water

Now They’re Coming For Your Water Bottles

Anti-Semitism

The Media Embraces Anti-Semitism

impeachment

Abusing the Impeachment Process

© 2019 RockIt News.
“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.”
  • RockIt Columnists
  • About RockIt
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.