Republican Bill Would Tighten H-1B, Student Visa and Asylum Rules

WASHINGTON — Indian professionals, students and family-based immigrants could face major new restrictions under a Republican immigration bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., that would tighten H-1B rules, limit work authorization for foreign students and raise the English-language requirement for citizenship.

The 82-page proposal, titled the “American System for Sustainable Immigration and Mass Immigration Limitations Achieved Through Imposing Oversight Nationally Act,” or the “ASSIMILATION Act,” would reshape significant parts of the U.S. immigration system.

The legislation says it seeks to replace what it calls “family-chain and lottery-based admissions” with a “merit-based system” focused on “economic self-sufficiency, cultural assimilation, and the protection of United States workers.”

“I’m glad to see the Trump administration is working overtime to deport the millions of criminals who came here illegally during the Biden administration,” Tuberville said in a statement accompanying the bill.

“But we also need to remove the incentives that are encouraging people who hate this country to come here in the first place,” he said.

Tuberville added: “Coming to this country is a privilege, not a right. If you hate this country and refuse to assimilate, we do not want you here.”

The legislation could have a major effect on Indian nationals, who make up one of the largest groups of beneficiaries under employment-based immigration and H-1B visa programs.

One of the bill’s most consequential provisions would reduce the annual H-1B cap to 50,000 visas. It also would require employers to pay foreign workers at least “200 per cent of the median wage” for the relevant occupation and location.

The measure would limit H-1B status to a single three-year term, with no extensions or renewals. It would also bar H-1B holders from adjusting to permanent residency unless they remain outside the United States for at least two continuous years after their visa expires.

Foreign students would also face a significant change. The bill would eliminate Optional Practical Training, a program that allows international students to work in the U.S. after graduation.

The proposal would abolish the diversity visa lottery program and sharply narrow family-sponsored immigration categories. Under the bill, only spouses and unmarried children under 18 of U.S. citizens would qualify as immediate relatives for immigration purposes.

Parents of U.S. citizens would no longer qualify for permanent immigration status, but they could receive limited five-year nonimmigrant visas without access to employment or public benefits.

The bill would impose stricter standards for naturalization, raising the residency requirement for citizenship from five years to 10 years and requiring English proficiency at the B2 level under the Common European Framework.

Asylum rules would also be tightened. The proposal would bar work authorization for asylum applicants based solely on pending claims and establish a $500 asylum filing fee.

The legislation would also require nationwide use of E-Verify for all new hires and create new civil and criminal penalties for visa overstays.

A companion bill has been introduced in the House by Rep. Andy Ogles.

Immigration remains one of the central political issues in the U.S. ahead of the 2026 elections. Republicans have increasingly pushed for stricter border enforcement and reduced legal immigration pathways, while the second Trump administration has prioritized deportations, tighter asylum standards and expanded immigration enforcement. (Source: IANS)