A Republican lawmaker has proposed new legislation in Congress that would shut down the green card lottery and end H-1B visas for foreign workers.
Congressman Andy Ogles of Tennessee unveiled the Assimilation Act as part of an effort to completely overhaul the country's immigration system.
"All immigration to the United States shall serve the economic, cultural, and security interests of the United States as determined by Congress," according to a draft version of the bill obtained by Fox News Digital.
MAGA Republicans have argued that the H-1B visa program undercuts wages for American workers, while supporters say it fills critical labour shortages. Hardline GOP lawmakers are pushing forward bills to tighten both illegal and legal immigration pathways.
The Trump administration imposed a one-time $100,000 fee on certain H-1B petitions as part of an effort to curb misuse and encourage employers to hire domestic workers.
The proposal includes eliminating the H-1B visa programme, which currently allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialised fields, and terminating the diversity visa lottery, which allocates tens of thousands of visas annually to applicants from underrepresented countries.
The legislation also seeks to curb so-called "chain migration," shifting the system away from family-based immigration toward a more merit-based framework. Additional provisions include stricter vetting requirements, expanded "good moral character" standards, and enhanced background checks, including reviews of applicants' social media activity.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration introduced a new rule replacing the random H-1B lottery with a wage-weighted selection system that prioritizes higher-paid position, which came into effect in February, under major changes implemented, along with the $100,000 fee.
A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers has introduced new legislation aimed at exempting healthcare from the administration's $100,000 H-1B visa fee.
The bill, titled the H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act, was introduced in the House of Representatives on March 17 by Republican Representatives Mike Lawler of New York and Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, along with Democratic Representatives Yvette Clarke of New York and Sanford Bishop Jr. of Georgia.
Several Republican lawmakers have voiced support for scrapping or significantly restricting the H-1B visa programme. Representative Beth Van Duyne has called for a total ban or major overhaul to prevent misuse, while former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has introduced legislation to eliminate the programme.
Representative Chip Roy has backed pauses or freezes on new H-1B visas, and Senator Mike Lee has also questioned whether the programme should continue without substantial reforms.
Representative Greg Steube, a Florida Republican, previously introduced the legislation, called the Ending Exploitative Imported Labor Exemptions (EXILE) Act. Steube cited concerns that the H-1B program prioritizes foreign labor over U.S. citizens, saying that American workers, including young professionals, are being displaced in the workforce.
The H-1B visa programme, administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is capped annually at 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 reserved for applicants holding advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.
Congressman Andy Ogles, a Tennessee Republican, wrote in a post on X: "My ASSIMILATION Act will be the biggest immigration overhaul of the century. We will end the H-1B scam, axe chain migration, and shut down the VISA lottery. America will look like America again."
Congressman Greg Steube, a Florida Republican, said in a press release: "Prioritizing foreign labor over the well-being and prosperity of American citizens undermines our values and national interests."
Representative Sanford Bishop Jr., a Georgia Democrat, said in the release: "The $100,000 H-1B filing fee adds insult to injury to hospitals, especially in rural areas. The fee will have a detrimental impact on their ability to recruit qualified health care professionals to some of the nation's most underserved areas. The bipartisan legislation we are introducing today, however, will ensure that all physicians and health professionals are exempted from this fee so that they can continue to serve without fear or financial hardship."
Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican, said: "Health care access starts with having enough doctors and medical professionals to serve our communities. As our nation faces a growing physician shortage, we must ensure that steep fees do not stand in the way of hospitals bringing in the medical talent American patients depend on."
The proposal has been introduced in the House of Representatives but would need approval from both chambers of Congress and the president before it could become law.