New Republican bill tightens H-1B, asylum rules
A new Republican-backed immigration proposal in the US could impose major restrictions on H-1B visas, foreign student work programmes, asylum rules, and family-based immigration. The bill, introduced by Senator Tommy Tuberville, may significantly affect Indian professionals, students, and immigrants
Washington: Indian professionals, students, and family-based immigrants could face sweeping new restrictions under a hardline immigration proposal introduced by influential Republican lawmaker Tommy Tuberville, including tougher H-1B rules, limits on work authorization for foreign students, and higher English requirements 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 fundamentally reshape large parts of the US immigration system.
According to the text, the legislation seeks to replace what it describes as “family-chain and lottery-based admissions” with a “merit-based system” prioritizing “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.
The Alabama senator 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 would significantly affect Indian nationals, one of the largest groups of beneficiaries under employment-based immigration and H-1B visa programs.
Among the bill’s most consequential provisions are new H-1B restrictions. The measure would cut the annual H-1B cap to 50,000 visas and require employers to pay foreign workers at least “200 per cent of the median wage” for the relevant occupation and location.
The bill would also limit H-1B status to a single three-year term with no extensions or renewals. It further bars 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.
Another major change targets foreign students. The proposal would eliminate Optional Practical Training (OPT), a widely used program allowing international students to work in the US after graduation.
The bill would also abolish the diversity visa lottery program entirely and sharply narrow family-sponsored immigration categories. Under the proposal, only spouses and unmarried children under 18 of US citizens would qualify as immediate relatives for immigration purposes.
Parents of US citizens would no longer qualify for permanent immigration status but could receive limited five-year nonimmigrant visas without access to employment or public benefits.
The legislation would further impose stricter naturalization standards, including 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 tighten substantially. The bill would bar work authorization for asylum applicants solely on the basis of pending claims and establish a $500 asylum filing fee.
The proposal additionally mandates nationwide use of E-Verify for all new hires and creates new civil and criminal penalties for visa overstays.
A companion legislation has been introduced in the House by Andy Ogles.
Immigration remains one of the defining political issues in the United States ahead of the 2026 elections, with Republicans increasingly pushing for stricter border enforcement and reduced legal immigration pathways. The debate has intensified under the second Trump administration, which has prioritised deportations, tighter asylum standards, and expanded immigration enforcement.