US President Donald Trump has announced plans to radically alter his country’s immigration system. Proposals include a new Visa programme, to replace the scrapped diversity visa lottery, and allowing people to immigrate to the United States based on merit more so than family ties.
The new plans proposed by the Trump White House would see a point-based merit system account for the majority of those permitted to settle in the United States and would focus on those who are highly educated or skilled and will also favour those who speak English fluently.
The new merit-based system is designed to end ‘chain migration’ wherein a person migrates to the US than applies for other family members to join them.
Under the current system just 12% of people are granted visas for the US based on merit, under these proposals President Trump would see that increased to 57 %.
Crucially for President Trump’s support base the proposed reforms do not include amnesty for the massive illegal alien population already living in the United States.
US Democrats have staunchly opposed any reforms to the country’s immigration system that would stem the flow of legal or illegal immigrants as they recognise the political gains they can make by the rapidly shifting demographics of the country.
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