FAIR: President's Executive Actions Should Be the First Step in Immigration Overhaul that Serves the National Interest

The following statement was issued by Dale L. Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in response to today's executive order and proclamation issued by President Trump:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- "The executive order and proclamation signed today by President Trump constitute a step to restore public interest to our immigration process. Since 1965, the preponderance of immigration to the United States has been driven by family chain migration, admitting millions of people without regard to their ability or likelihood to contribute to the economic and social well-being of the nation. A much smaller portion of green cards are issued based skills or other personal attributes.

"In the absence of congressional action to move toward a merit-based immigration system, the president's executive order on Gold cards is an effort to create opportunities to grant green cards to people with resources and skills. Though our goals include reducing inflows to more manageable levels and protecting the interests of American workers, the administration is seeking to benefit the American public through the fees paid by those seeking the Gold Cards created by the order. We urge the president and Congress to follow up on this order with legislation that favors skills over extended family connections.

"The second executive action, instituting a $100,000 fee for employers petitioning for H-1B workers, provides much-needed protections for American workers. For far too long, companies have been abusing this guestworker program. Instead of giving companies access to uniquely skilled foreign workers who complement our own labor force, the H-1B program has allowed them to bring in foreign workers at lower wages who displace American workers. The new fee is significant enough to discourage employers who merely want to hire lower wage foreign workers, but not so prohibitive that it will prevent them from petitioning for workers whose skills are truly needed."

SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)