ASSIMILATION Act

Congress finds the following:

(1) The Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965 (Public Law 89–236; commonly known as the Hart-Celler Act), fundamentally changed the United States immigration system by replacing the national origins quota system with a preference system giving priority to extended family-based immigration rather than basing the admission of immigrants on serving the national interest.

(2) The immigration system established by the Hart-Celler Act has—

(A) produced consequences that differ substantially from the goals described by the Act's original proponents, including—

(i) unprecedented levels of chain migration;

(ii) the creation of the diversity visa lottery under section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(c)); and

(iii) dramatic increases in overall immigration levels;

(B) placed strain on public resources;

(C) suppressed wages and decreased labor-market opportunities for United States workers; and

(D) tested the ability of the people of the United States to promote assimilation and social cohesion.

(3) Given that immigration to the United States is not an entitlement, Congress has plenary authority to establish immigration policy that will serve the economic, cultural, and national security interests of the United States.

(4) The Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) employs the concept of the national interest in multiple contexts, including employment-based immigration, but does not provide a generally applicable statutory standard for national-interest determinations made for employment-selection purposes.

(5) Clear definitions and evidentiary rules promote transparency, consistency, and faithful administration of Federal immigration laws.