Reported first on Fox News, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus is proposing legislation that would usher in the most significant legal immigration overhaul the U.S. has seen in decades.
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is leading a new bill that would shift the American immigration system from a family-based focus, largely ending chain migration and prioritizing immigrants who serve the “national interest” of the U.S.
“All immigration to the United States shall serve the economic, cultural, and security interests of the United States as determined by Congress,” a draft version of the legislative text obtained by Fox News Digital said.
It would also eliminate the diversity visa lottery, an annual quota allowing for 55,000 immigrant visas for people from countries with otherwise low migration rates to the U.S.
People seeking to immigrate to the U.S. would have to qualify under an expanded set of “good moral character requirements” as well. Other circumstances that could hinder eligibility under that standard include misuse of public benefits, any immigration violation, such as visa overstays and tax delinquency.
Mandatory vetting to confirm “good moral character” would include “enhanced background checks, including social media review and in-person interviews.”
Republicans have long taken a hard line on illegal immigration, but a growing contingent of conservatives has expressed public skepticism about the legal immigration process as well.
Ogles’ bill would reverse key portions of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, colloquially known as the “Hart-Celler Act” after its two main backers in Congress.
The landmark bill reversed longstanding immigration quotas that overwhelmingly favored people from Northern and Western Europe, leading to more migration pathways for people from Asia, Latin America, Africa, and places like Eastern Europe.
It established a system that favored family reunification, refugees, and people with specific skills deemed beneficial to the U.S. economy.
Ogles himself previously called for repealing Hart-Celler, posting on X in December 2025, “The Hart-Celler Act scrapped the highly effective national-origins quota system and replaced it with an immigration regime built to favor third-world migration.”
The US Department of State has confirmed that the registration period for the Diversity Visa (DV) 2027 has not begun and has addressed fraudulent claims around its registration period, including false services that suggest they can enhance selection chances.
The Diversity Visa Program permits applicants from countries with low US immigration rates who meet qualifying standards to apply for an immigrant visa. The Department of State administers the DV Program, which provides diversity visas to foreigners who are “natives” of “low-admission” states, subject to specified numerical limits.
The rule defines “low-admission states” as those with equal to or fewer than 50,000 natives admitted to the United States during the most recent five-year period.
The US Department of State is implementing certain changes to the Diversity Visa (DV) entry process. The U.S. State Department has already proposed new rules for the Diversity Visa (DV) Program, requiring foreign applicants to submit a scanned passport for lottery entry, to reduce fraud and enhance application process integrity.
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