Green card overhaul? New US Bill seeks to scrap lottery, tighten visas

In a major overhaul that could affect millions of green card applicants and holders, Alabama Republican Rep. Barry Moore on Thursday rolled out a new immigration proposal that he said would reshape how people enter the United States, both legally and illegally. In a post on X, Moore framed the Bill as a reset of national priorities.

“Today, I introduced the Americans First Immigration Act to overhaul our immigration system. The days of putting illegals, random diversity lotteries and foreign labour ahead of American workers are over. It’s time our system serves Americans again,” he wrote.

According to a report by Fox News, the legislation is closely aligned with the “America First” immigration agenda associated with Donald Trump. The Bill would narrow legal immigration channels, reduce family-based sponsorship categories, and eliminate the diversity visa lottery, while shifting the focus towards applicants with high-demand skills.

Moore, who introduced the measure in the House, said the goal is to rewrite parts of the existing immigration law to prioritise US citizens.

“My Bill draws a hard line — the days of putting illegals, random diversity lotteries and foreign labour ahead of American workers are over. Our immigration system should serve the American people, not undercut them, and that means selecting individuals who will strengthen our economy, respect our laws, and share our values.”

What the Bill proposes

The proposal runs about 70 pages and attempts to turn several past policy moves into permanent law. These include steps taken during Trump’s presidency to tighten legal immigration pathways.

In late 2025, Trump moved to pause the green card lottery programme following campus shootings, and earlier that year he signed an executive order placing tighter limits on H1B1 visas, which are issued for specialised occupations.

Moore said entry into the United States should be based on measurable merit rather than chance or loopholes.

Changes to visa pathways

While the Bill calls for scrapping the diversity visa lottery, it keeps a narrow carve-out for religious workers, preserving about 3,000 visas annually under that category.

Another major shift in the proposal is the move towards a points-based immigration system. Instead of the current employment visa structure, applicants would be scored on criteria such as:

English proficiency

Education level

Salary

Age

Military service

Support from advocacy groups

Supporting Moore, NumbersUSA, an advocacy group that seeks to reduce both legal and illegal immigration to the United States, issued a statement backing the proposal.

“The Americans First Immigration Act is groundbreaking legislation that will end mass immigration and reorient our green card system to serve the national interest.

We are in the midst of the longest wave of mass immigration in American history, rooted in random selection and chain migration. Decades of broken promises have produced a system that gives away green cards through a lottery and prioritises extended-family relationships over skills — and American workers and taxpayers have paid the price.

It’s long past time that we have an immigration system that puts Americans first.”