Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has introduced legislation that would temporarily suspend nearly all immigration to the United States until the federal government enacts sweeping reforms to what he called a \u201cbroken and exploited\u201d system. The proposal, known as the PAUSE Act \u2014 short for Pause on Admissions Until Security Ensured \u2014 would freeze legal immigration admissions and overhaul policies ranging from chain migration to visa programs. The measure would also scrap the Diversity Visa lottery, restrict access to welfare benefits for noncitizens, and limit birthright citizenship to children with at least one American citizen or permanent resident parent.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe problem isn\u2019t just illegal immigration; it\u2019s also legal immigration,\u201d Roy said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation, which first obtained the bill. \u201cWhile the Biden administration opened our borders and allowed millions to flood into our country, they also rubber-stamped millions more arriving through convoluted legal schemes, completely overwhelming the system. The American people are done being taken advantage of by the rest of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roy, a prominent border hawk and ally of President Donald Trump, said his legislation would force the government to \u201cpump the brakes\u201d on immigration until Congress dismantles decades-old programs that have \u201cinvited abuse.\u201d The bill mirrors Trump\u2019s recent calls to adopt a merit-based immigration framework that prioritizes applicants who can contribute economically rather than gain entry through family ties or random selection.<\/p>\n
Under the PAUSE Act, nearly all new immigration would cease until the Department of Homeland Security certifies that the southern border is secure and that reforms to the visa system are complete. The legislation would eliminate the Diversity Visa Program, end \u201cchain migration\u201d by limiting sponsorship to spouses and minor children, restrict birthright citizenship to children with at least one American or lawful permanent resident parent, bar immigrants from federal welfare programs, allow states to restrict public school enrollment, and include national security provisions barring entry to members of the Chinese Communist Party, extremists, and anyone linked to designated terrorist organizations.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur immigration system is supposed to benefit Americans,\u201d Roy said. \u201cWe must put a pause on immigration until we fundamentally fix our broken system.\u201d The legislation quickly drew support from conservative immigration groups. Rosemary Jenks, co-founder of the Immigration Accountability Project, called the measure \u201cexactly the \u2018pause\u2019 in immigration that is necessary for America to get our house in order,\u201d while RJ Hauman, president of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement, said Congress should act quickly. Several House Republicans, including Reps. Keith Self, Brandon Gill, Andy Biggs, Lauren Boebert, and Andy Ogles, have signed on as co-sponsors.<\/p>\n
Roy\u2019s proposal follows years of escalating immigration crises under the Biden administration, which saw record numbers of migrant crossings before Trump\u2019s policies dramatically reduced illegal entries in 2025. Despite those gains, Roy said systemic flaws persist \u2014 from overstayed visas to asylum loopholes \u2014 that continue to strain city budgets and law enforcement resources nationwide. The Texas Republican, who announced a bid this year for state attorney general, has positioned immigration reform at the center of his campaign platform. He said the PAUSE Act represents a blueprint for the broader national agenda he hopes to carry to Austin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has introduced legislation that would temporarily suspend nearly all immigration to the United States until the federal government enacts sweeping reforms to what… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4649,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4648","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n