A new immigration bill in the US proposes to eliminate the green card lottery and limit family-based visas. It aims to focus more on a competency-driven system.The proposed “America First Immigration Act” was introduced by Republican Congressman Barry Moore and aims to overhaul the country’s legal immigration framework by prioritizing high-skilled workers and tightening eligibility rules. If passed, the legislation would end the diversity visa lottery program and limit family sponsorship to immediate relatives.Under the bill, US citizens will no longer be able to sponsor parents, siblings or adult children for immigration. Family-based visas will be limited to spouses and minor children of citizens as well as spouses and children of green card holders. Extended family members can still apply, but only through merit-based routes.Moore said in a statement to Fox News: “My bill draws a hard line – the days of putting an illegal, random diversity lottery and foreign labor ahead of American workers are over.”The MAGA leader said: “Our immigration system should serve the American people, not undermine them, and that means selecting individuals who will strengthen our economy, respect our laws and share our values.”The 70-page proposal also aims to formalize several immigration measures linked to US President Donald Trump’s policies. This follows previous actions such as halting the green card lottery program in December 2025 and a ban on H1B1 work visas implemented last year.At the heart of the bill is a move towards a points-based system. People applying for immigration will be evaluated on factors such as how well they speak English, their education, salary, age, and any military service. To be eligible, they must have a job offer that pays at least twice the average wage in the state where they plan to live.Employers will also have to follow strict rules. They have to show that they have actually tried to hire American workers before offering the job to someone from another country. They have to share details of the US candidates they considered, including what salaries were offered. The Labor Department will check whether these rules are being followed or not.“If you want to come to the United States, you must earn it through merit, not through the diversity lottery or loopholes. The American First Immigration Act restores fairness and accountability by protecting American jobs, prioritizing single-family jobs and ensuring that every immigrant admitted is prepared to contribute and succeed, Moore told Fox News.The Bill also introduces a mandatory pledge for incoming migrants. Applicants must affirm support for the U.S. Constitution and renounce affiliations with groups involved in practices such as honor killings, female foeticide or genital mutilation.Julie Kirchner, senior adviser at the America First Policy Institute, supported the proposal, particularly the move to eliminate the diversity visa scheme. He said, “The visa lottery has a long, documented history of fraud and national security concerns and must be ended. Under a merit-based, America First system, any immigrant must demonstrate their skills, ability to assimilate and how they will contribute to America.”He said false declarations by migrants could lead to deportation or even loss of citizenship. “Ideally the government already has information to prevent these people from immigrating to the United States,” Kirchner said.He added: “However, if a newly arrived immigrant engages in behavior that indicates that his or her statements to our immigration agencies were false, it may become grounds for deportation or denaturalization.”The bill retains the provision limiting religious worker visas to 3,000 annually.