Three Republican senators on Wednesday introduced legislation that would cut down overall immigration levels to limit low-skilled workers from entering the country, The Hill reported.
The legislation, called the Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment (RAISE) Act, would replace the current employment-visa system with a skills-based framework that gives priority to immigrants who are more educated, speak English and have a history of achievement.
Such a reform, its supporters say, would boost the wages of the working class and create jobs.
“For decades, our immigration system has been completely divorced from the needs of our country and has harmed the livelihoods of working-class Americans,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, one of the sponsors of the bill along with Sen. David Perdue and Sen. Josh Hawley.
Cotton's office said the bill would sharply curtail visa allotments by 41 percent in its first year, the Washington Examiner reported.
Although the act would prioritize the legal entry of immediate family members of US residents, it would end preferences for extended family members and adult children, according to The Hill.
The act is also an attempt to stymie current attempts from inside the White House, led by senior adviser Jared Kushner, to boost the number of workers permitted to enter the U.S. to fill needed job vacancies, especially in the agriculture and hospitality industries, according to Politico.
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