One of the myriad ways in which America's border crisis manifests is in the sheer number of migrants crossing, many bringing their families in through chain migration schemes. Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) has reintroduced a bill to curb such schemes, limiting family-sponsored visa eligibility to a visa holder's immediate nuclear family.
Named the Nuclear Family Priority Act, the bill restricts a visa holder's eligible relatives for entry to their nuclear family while simultaneously capping the number of family-sponsored visas issued altogether, with exceptions allowed for immigrants with aging parents.
Rep. Crane's bill was originally introduced by former Representative Jody Hice (R-GA) in 2021, although it never made it out of committee. The Arizona Congressman's new version has received cosponsors in the form of fellow Arizona Republican Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Representatives Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Bill Posey (R-FL), Bob Good (R-VA), Mary Miller (R-IL), and Andy Ogles (R-TN).
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In his press release, Rep. Crane said, "Unrestricted chain migration has allowed for the inexcusable exploitation and abuse of our immigration system. I’m proud to introduce this bill that will help restore the rule of law, prevent our nation from being overburdened, and bolster our national security." Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the former Rep. Hice for originally introducing the bill and for his cosponsors.
Moreover, Crane gave numbers on the border crisis, which included the illegal entry of over 8 million migrants since President Biden took office, in addition to over 1 million gotaways, meaning they successfully entered the country while evading Customs and Border Patrol. Egregiously, the Biden Administration has also flown approximately 325,000 migrants directly into the United States through a humanitarian parole program, although Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) recently warned that this was 325,000 "that we know of."
Most alarmingly, over 300 people on the terror watchlist have also been encountered at the border, raising serious concerns of a terror attack occurring soon.
"Instead of advancing policies that reform and enforce existing immigration laws, secure our borders, and combat cartels, the Biden Administration has intentionally done the opposite to fuel the border and immigration crisis," Crane's press release condemned.
On X (formerly Twitter), Crane announced the bill, saying, "Unrestricted chain migration has allowed for the inexcusable exploitation & abuse of our immigration system. Proud to introduce the Nuclear Family Priority Act, which will help restore the rule of law, prevent our nation from being overburdened & bolster our national security."
Unrestricted chain migration has allowed for the inexcusable exploitation & abuse of our immigration system.
Proud to introduce the Nuclear Family Priority Act, which will help restore the rule of law, prevent our nation from being overburdened & bolster our national security. https://t.co/ngjhnSYImM
— Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) April 2, 2024
