President Trump has unveiled details for his “merit-based” immigration plan that was formulated over the last few months by dozens of conservative groups and spearheaded by his senior advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner.In broad terms, it replaces the traditional family-based rules with criteria that favors immigrants with skill, education, and money. “You will get more points for having a valuable skill, an offer of employment, and advanced education or a plan to create jobs,” states Trump. This preference for job creation would seem to bode well for the EB-5 program.This plan would not change the number of Green Cards offered annually, but it would significantly favor skilled and educated immigrants over people with only family ties.
Responses to Trump’s plan: Democrat condemnation, mixed Republican reaction
Trump’s immigration plan is not drawing a favourable reaction — with even some opposition coming from the Republican ranks. Its Washington supporters even admit that the plan is not so much a viable immediate proposal so much as a platform showcase for the 2020 election.Democrats have lambasted the plan. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it a “dead-on-arrival plan that is not a remotely serious proposal.” Senator Richard Blumenthal condemned it as a “despicable abdication of moral authority,” and noted that it would have prevented his immigrant father from entering the country.Republican response has not been universally supportive either. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has yet to endorse it and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy stated it was “not a complete immigration bill.” Conservative commentator Ann Coulter scathingly denounced the plan on Twitter: “SAME MASSIVE LEVELS OF LEGAL IMMIGRATION. And this is the rube-bait campaign document, not even a serious bill.”Read The Washington Post article
