ASSIMILATION Act

Key Points

• The bill replaces family-based immigration with a merit-based system. It ends the diversity visa lottery, stops citizens from sponsoring parents or adult siblings for green cards, and limits family-sponsored visas to spouses and children under 18 of permanent residents, capped at 88,000 per year.
• The path to citizenship would double from 5 years to 10 years of continuous residence. Applicants would need to pass a much harder English test (B2 level), prove they paid all federal taxes, and show they never received means-tested public benefits like food stamps or housing assistance during the 10-year period.
• H-1B work visas would be capped at 50,000 per year with a maximum 3-year stay and no renewals. Employers would have to pay H-1B workers at least 200% of the median wage for the job. International students on F-1 visas would lose the ability to work in the U.S. through Optional Practical Training.
• Birthright citizenship would be restricted so that children born in the U.S. are only citizens if at least one parent is a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident. This redefines what it means to be 'subject to the jurisdiction' of the United States.
• Visa overstays of 10 days or more would become a criminal offense, punishable by up to 6 months in jail for a first offense and 2 years for repeat offenses. Asylum seekers would face a new $500 filing fee, a transit-country bar, and no work permits while their cases are pending.
• All employers would be required to use the E-Verify electronic system to check every new hire's work authorization, with civil and criminal penalties for violations. Sponsors of immigrants would need to post a $20,000 bond and earn at least 200% of the federal poverty line.