Republican Senators have revealed that President Donald Trump is to lay out his new immigration policy in coming days.
Trump has been working with advisers on a proposal to boost visas for highly skilled workers seeking to immigrate to the United States and cut back on other types of visas.
Following meetings with White House advisers yesterday, Senators have been briefed on exactly what these immigration policy plans entail.
Republican Senators John Cornyn and John Barrasso yesterday told reporters that Trump would give his views in a speech – possibly as soon as this week. A White House spokesman did not respond to requests for comment on the speech.
The immigration policy proposal, largely developed by Trump adviser Jared Kushner, is expected to be a two-pronged approach to immigration reform.
The first part of the plan is expected to tackle legal immigration by limiting the number of low-skilled migrants who enter the country based on family ties and replacing them with high-skilled workers instead. The number of migrants entering the US, the administration says, would be left roughly unchanged.
The second part of the proposal pertains to border security, with the White House aiming to beef it up — including more walls and updated ports of entry.
The White House, though, is yet to officially confirm or release any details of the plan.
Immigration reform has historically been difficult to pass in the United States and it remains uncertain if such a plan can make it past the Republican Senate and Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.
Whatever happens, the proposals are highly unlikely to pass Congress ahead of the November 2020 presidential election.
Article published 15th May 2019