Alabama Republican Representative Barry Moore has officially introduced the Americans First Immigration Act in the House, marking a significant legislative push to overhaul the United States immigration system. According to Fox News and ABP Live Business, Moore announced the bill stating that the days of putting illegals, random diversity lotteries and foreign labour ahead of American workers are over, emphasizing that the system should serve American people rather than undercut them. As per Fox News, the legislation is closely aligned with the 'America First' immigration agenda associated with President Donald Trump, with Moore framing it as a reset of national priorities. The MAGA leader added that the immigration system should serve the American people, not undercut them, and that means selecting individuals who will strengthen our economy, respect our laws, and share our values.
The most significant proposal involves eliminating the diversity visa lottery and replacing it with a points-based system that assesses applicants on multiple criteria including English proficiency, education level, salary, age and military service. As reported by ABP Live Business and Times of India, applicants would need to meet stricter economic thresholds, including securing a job offer that pays at least double the median wage in the state where they intend to reside, along with meeting language requirements. The legislation also proposes narrowing existing pathways, reducing family-based sponsorship categories and tightening legal migration pathways, marking a move away from existing structures that combine family ties and lottery-based allocations. Under the bill, US citizens would no longer be able to sponsor parents, siblings or adult children for immigration, with family-based visas limited to spouses and minor children of citizens, as well as spouses and children of green card holders.
The bill introduces stricter rules for employers seeking to hire foreign workers, requiring them to demonstrate genuine efforts to hire American workers before offering positions to international candidates. According to Times of India, employers must share details of US candidates they considered, including how much pay was offered, with the Department of Labor checking compliance. Moore told Fox News that if individuals want to come to the United States, they should earn it through merit, not diversity lotteries or loopholes, stating that the bill restores fairness and accountability by protecting American jobs and ensuring every immigrant admitted is prepared to contribute and succeed. The legislation aims to rewrite parts of the existing immigration law to prioritize U.S. citizens and shift focus toward applicants with high-demand skills.
The legislation includes a mandatory pledge for incoming migrants requiring applicants to affirm support for the US Constitution and renounce associations with groups involved in practices such as honour killings, female infanticide or genital mutilation. As reported by Times of India, Julie Kirchner, senior advisor at the America First Policy Institute, backed the proposal, particularly the move to eliminate the diversity visa scheme, stating that the Visa Lottery has a long, documented history of fraud and national security concerns and should be abolished. She added that false declarations by migrants could lead to deportation or even loss of citizenship, with ideally the government having information in advance to bar problematic individuals from immigrating.
The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act made significant changes to the investment-based Green Card program, including setting aside 20% of reserved visas for rural areas, 10% for high-unemployment urban areas, and 2% for infrastructure projects. The legislation also allowed investors already living in the U.S. to apply for a Green Card and immigrant investor petition simultaneously, rather than waiting for one to be approved first, and reauthorized the program through September 30, 2027. According to Manifest Law, Indian EB-5 filings have grown 160% in two years, with regional center investor filings increasing from 2,431 in fiscal year 2023 to 6,307 in 2025. The State Department's May 2026 Visa Bulletin warns that demand from India may make it necessary to retrogress the final action date or make the category unavailable before September 2026, as the general lane already has significant wait times for China and India.
