Americans First Immigration Act
Replaces most employment-based visas with a points system, ends the diversity lottery, and narrows family sponsorship.
In the Senate Judiciary Committee since Sept. 23, 2026, 15 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 23, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- SENATESENATE—
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
U.S. immigration law sets the routes and rules for people seeking permanent residence. The bill would replace most employment-based visas with a points system, end the diversity visa lottery, and narrow family-sponsored immigration. It would add worker-protection and values attestations, make points-based residence conditional, and includes a section on taxpayer and college-student protections.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Replace employment visas with points
The bill would replace most employment-based immigrant visa categories with a system that ranks applicants by points for factors such as job pay, education, achievement, English proficiency, military service and age. Applicants would need a U.S. job offer, at least 16 points, be ages 18 through 51, and score in at least the fifth decile on an English test; the annual visa level would be 192,000 minus a specified count of people who were not detained or were released despite mandatory detention.
- Require employers to protect U.S. workers
Employers offering jobs to points-based immigrant applicants would have to document good-faith recruitment of U.S. workers, offer the job to equally or better qualified applicants, and attest that they have not laid off and will not lay off an equivalent U.S. worker. They would also promise to pay the immigrant at least the offered wage for three years, subject to specified exceptions; violations could bring fines, remedies for workers, and criminal penalties for a pattern or practice of noncompliance.
- Require immigration values attestations
Applicants in several immigration categories would have to attest to support for U.S. constitutional principles and deny involvement in listed conduct, including persecution, genocide, honor killing and female genital mutilation. They would also attest that they will not engage in that conduct and, for specified organizations, have not been and will not become a member or affiliate.
- Narrow family and diversity visa pathways
The bill would end the diversity visa lottery and limit family-sponsored visas to spouses and children of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; U.S. citizens could no longer sponsor parents under the amended definition. It sets the nuclear-family visa level at 87,934 minus a specified count of certain people paroled into the United States, and provides limited transition rules for some already-approved petitions.
- Make points-based residence conditional
Points-based immigrants and their spouses and children would receive permanent resident status on a conditional basis. The text begins a process for notifying them about removing those conditions, including notice before the two-year point, but the available text does not show the full requirements.
The bill would substantially change which employment, family, and diversity visa routes are available and how applicants qualify. Its changes would affect both immigrants seeking permanent residence and employers seeking to hire them.
The bill also ties employer violations to consequences for U.S. workers, including possible hiring, reinstatement, back pay, or damages. Its points system and values attestations would make pay, credentials, past conduct, and organizational affiliations relevant to immigration eligibility.
Written from an excerpt of the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 23, 2026SENATESEP 23, 2026By Sen. TubervilleReferred to Judiciary
- SAME DAYNOWSenate committeeSEP 23, 2026JUDICIARY NOWSEP 23, 2026In committee for 15 daysNo hearing yet
- 15 DAYS SO FARPassed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- House committee—HOUSE—
- Passed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 232026SEP 23, 2026REFERREDRead twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- SEP 232026SEP 23, 2026INTRODUCEDSENATEIntroduced in Senate
At day 15, this bill is already older than 4% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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