Bill Details
HR.1747 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-02-27 - Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced Date
2025-02-27
Policy Area
Immigration
Committees
View committees (1)
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AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would sharply reduce the number of family-based immigration options and replace some of them with a new temporary visa for parents of adult U.S. citizens. It would no longer treat parents of U.S. citizens as “immediate relatives” for green card purposes, would narrow the family preference system mostly to spouses and minor children, and would tighten the rules for children who “age out” while waiting. It also creates a new nonimmigrant status for parents of U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old, but that status would not allow work and would require health insurance and a petition from the U.S. citizen child.
- Parents of U.S. citizens would generally lose access to the current immediate-relative green card category.
- The family-sponsored visa system would be narrowed, with visas mainly for spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents.
- A child waiting for a family-based visa would be judged by age at the time the petition is filed, but the child would lose eligibility if they marry or turn 25 before a visa becomes available.
- A new visa category would be created for parents of adult U.S. citizens, usually allowing a 5-year stay that can be extended, but with no work permission and no access to public benefits.
- To get that parent visa, the U.S. citizen son or daughter would have to file the petition and arrange free health insurance for the parent.
- The bill would also block new and pending petitions for several family-based categories after enactment, while allowing some already approved cases to continue only within a limited visa supply.
Official Summaries
Break the Chain Act
This bill makes various changes related to family-sponsored immigration, such as narrowing the definition of what constitutes an immediate relative and lowering the annual numerical cap on certain classes of family-sponsored visas.
A non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) who is a parent of a U.S. citizen shall not qualify for a visa for immediate relatives, which is not subject to any direct numerical limits. Currently, the spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of citizens are considered immediate relatives.
The bill also reduces the baseline annual cap for family-sponsored visas from 480,000 to 87,934, and revises the methods for calculating the cap. Currently, the 480,000 cap may be adjusted depending on various factors but shall not be less than 226,000. A spouse or child of a sponsoring lawful permanent resident (also known as a green card holder) shall be subject to the family-sponsored visa cap.
The bill revises the rules for determining whether a non-U.S. national is a child for the purposes of family-sponsored immigration, and establishes that an individual who is married or turns 25 years old prior to a visa becoming available for issuance shall not qualify as a child.
The bill creates a nonimmigrant classification for non-U.S. national parents of adult U.S. citizens, which authorizes such parents for admission into the United States for an initial five-year period. Such parents shall not be authorized for employment or to receive any public benefits.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1747 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1747
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the provisions
that relate to family-sponsored immigrants.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 27, 2025
Mr. Steube introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to modify the provisions
that relate to family-sponsored immigrants.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Break the Chain Act''.
SEC. 2. FAMILY-SPONSORED IMMIGRATION PRIORITIES.
(a) Immediate Relative Redefined.--Section 201 of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(A)--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``children, spouses,
and parents of a citizen of the United States, except
that, in the case of parents, such citizens shall be at
least 21 years of age.'' and inserting ``children and
spouse of a citizen of the United States.''; and
(B) in clause (ii), by striking ``such an immediate
relative'' and inserting ``the immediate relative
spouse of a United States citizen'';
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Worldwide Level of Family-Sponsored Immigrants.--(1) The
worldwide level of family-sponsored immigrants under this subsection
for a fiscal year is equal to 87,934 minus the number computed under
paragraph (2).
``(2) The number computed under this paragraph for a fiscal year is
the number of aliens who were paroled into the United States under
section 212(d)(5) in the second preceding fiscal year who--
``(A) did not depart from the United States (without
advance parole) within 365 days; and
``(B)(i) did not acquire the status of an alien lawfully
admitted to the United States for permanent residence during
the two preceding fiscal years; or
``(ii) acquired such status during such period under a
provision of law (other than subsection (b)) that exempts
adjustment to such status from the numerical limitation on the
worldwide level of immigration under this section.''; and
(3) in subsection (f)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``section
203(a)(2)(A)'' and inserting ``section 203(a)'';
(B) by striking paragraph (3);
(C) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph
(3); and
(D) in paragraph (3), as redesignated, by striking
``(1) through (3)'' and inserting ``(1) and (2)''.
(b) Family-Based Visa Preferences.--Section 203(a) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)) is amended to read
as follows:
``(a) Spouses and Minor Children of Permanent Resident Aliens.--
Family-sponsored immigrants described in this subsection are qualified
immigrants who are the spouse or a child of an alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence. Such immigrants shall be allocated visas in
accordance with the number computed under section 201(c).''.
(c) Aging Out.--Section 203(h) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(h)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(a)(2)(A)'' each place such term appears
and inserting ``(a)'';
(2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for purposes
of subsections (a) and (d), a determination of whether an alien
satisfies the age requirement in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A) of section 101(b)(1) shall be made using the
age of the alien on the date on which a petition is filed with
the Secretary of Homeland Security.'';
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as
paragraphs (3) through (5), respectively;
(4) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
``(2) Limitation.--Notwithstanding the age of an alien on
the date on which a petition is filed, an alien who marries or
turns 25 years of age prior to a visa becoming available for
issuance pursuant to subsection (a) or (d), no longer satisfies
the age requirement described in paragraph (1).''; and
(5) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by striking
``(3)'' and inserting ``(4)''.
(d) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Definition of v nonimmigrant.--Section 101(a)(15)(V) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(V))
is amended by striking ``section 203(a)(2)(A)'' each place such
term appears and inserting ``section 203(a)''.
(2) Procedure for granting immigrant status.--Section 204
of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(1)--
(i) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking
``to classification by reason of a relationship
described in paragraph (1), (3), or (4) of
section 203(a) or'';
(ii) in subparagraph (B)--
(I) in clause (i), by redesignating
the second subclause (I) as subclause
(II); and
(II) by striking ``203(a)(2)(A)''
each place such terms appear and
inserting ``203(a)''; and
(iii) in subparagraph (D)(i)(I), by
striking ``a petitioner'' and all that follows
through ``section 204(a)(1)(B)(iii).'' and
inserting ``an individual younger than 21 years
of age for purposes of adjudicating such
petition and for purposes of admission as an
immediate relative under section
201(b)(2)(A)(i) or a family-sponsored immigrant
under section 203(a), as appropriate,
notwithstanding the actual age of the
individual.'';
(B) in subsection (f)(1), by striking ``,
203(a)(1), or 203(a)(3), as appropriate''; and
(C) by striking subsection (k).
(3) Waivers of inadmissibility.--Section 212 of such Act (8
U.S.C. 1182) is amended--
(A) in subsection (a)(6)(E)(ii), by striking
``section 203(a)(2)'' and inserting ``section 203(a)'';
and
(B) in subsection (d)(11), by striking ``(other
than paragraph (4) thereof)''.
(4) Employment of v nonimmigrants.--Section 214(q)(1)(B)(i)
of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(q)(1)(B)(i)) is amended by striking
``section 203(a)(2)(A)'' each place such term appears and
inserting ``section 203(a)''.
(5) Definition of alien spouse.--Section 216(h)(1)(C) of
such Act (8 U.S.C. 1186a(h)(1)(C)) is amended by striking
``section 203(a)(2)'' and inserting ``section 203(a)''.
(6) Classes of deportable aliens.--Section 237(a)(1)(E)(ii)
of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(1)(E)(ii)) is amended by striking
``section 203(a)(2)'' and inserting ``section 203(a)''.
(e) Creation of Nonimmigrant Classification for Alien Parents of
Adult United States Citizens.--
(1) In general.--Section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) is amended--
(A) in subparagraph (T)(ii)(III), by striking the
period at the end and inserting a semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (U)(iii), by striking ``or'' at
the end;
(C) in subparagraph (V)(ii)(II), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and
(D) by adding at the end the following:
``(W) subject to section 214(s), an alien who is a
parent of a citizen of the United States, if the
citizen is at least 21 years of age.''.
(2) Conditions on admission.--Section 214 of such Act (8
U.S.C. 1184) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(s)(1) The initial period of authorized admission for a
nonimmigrant described in section 101(a)(15)(W) shall be 5 years, but
may be extended by the Secretary of Homeland Security for additional 5-
year periods if the United States citizen son or daughter of the
nonimmigrant is still residing in the United States.
``(2) A nonimmigrant described in section 101(a)(15)(W)--
``(A) is not authorized to be employed in the United
States; and
``(B) is not eligible for any Federal, State, or local
public benefit.
``(3) The United States citizen son or daughter shall file a
petition with the Secretary of Homeland Security on behalf of the alien
parent in order for the alien parent to be issued a visa or otherwise
be provided nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(W).
``(4) An alien is ineligible to be issued a visa or otherwise be
provided nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(W), or to be
admitted into the United States as a nonimmigrant described in section
101(a)(15)(W), unless the alien provides satisfactory proof that the
United States citizen son or daughter has arranged for health insurance
coverage for the alien, at no cost to the alien, during the anticipated
period of the alien's residence in the United States.''.
(3) Affidavit of support.--
(A) Ground of inadmissibility.--Section
212(a)(4)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8
U.S.C. 1182(a)(4)(C)) is amended--
(i) in the heading by adding at the end the
following: ``and nonimmigrants''; and
(ii) in the matter preceding clause (i), by
striking ``section 201(b)(2) or 203(a)'' and
inserting ``section 101(a)(15)(W), 201(b)(2),
or 203(a)''.
(B) Affidavit required.--Section 213A of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1183a) is
amended--
(i) in subsection (a)(2)--
(I) by striking ``An affidavit of
support'' and inserting the following:
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in
subparagraph (B), an affidavit of support''; and
(II) by adding at the end the
following:
``(B) Special rule.--In the case of an alien who
has been issued a visa or otherwise provided
nonimmigrant status under section 101(a)(15)(W), an
affidavit of support shall be enforceable with respect
to benefits provided for an alien while the alien is
physically present in the United States.''; and
(ii) in subsection (f)(1)(D), by inserting
after ``section 204'' the following: ``or
petitioning for the alien to be provided a visa
under or accorded status under section
101(a)(15)(W)''.
(f) Effective Date; Applicability.--
(1) Effective date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on October 1, 2025.
(2) Invalidity of certain petitions and applications.--
(A) In general.--No person may file, and the
Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of
State may not accept, adjudicate, or approve any
petition under section 204 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) filed on or after the
date of enactment of this Act seeking classification of
an alien under section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) with respect to
a parent of a United States citizen, or under section
203(a)(1), (2)(B), (3), or (4) of such Act (8 U.S.C.
1151(b)(2)(A)(i), 1153(a)(1), (2)(B), (3), or (4)). Any
application for adjustment of status or an immigrant
visa based on such a petition shall be invalid.
(B) Pending petitions.--Neither the Secretary of
Homeland Security nor the Secretary of State may
adjudicate or approve any petition under section 204 of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154)
pending as of the date of enactment of this Act seeking
classification of an alien under section
201(b)(2)(A)(i) with respect to a parent of a United
States citizen, or under section 203(a)(1), (2)(B),
(3), or (4) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i),
1153(a)(1), (2)(B), (3), or (4)). Any application for
adjustment of status or an immigrant visa based on such
a petition shall be invalid.
(3) Applicability to waitlisted applicants.--
(A) In general.--Notwithstanding the amendments
made by this section, an alien with regard to whom a
petition or application for status under paragraph (1),
(2)(B), (3), or (4) of section 203(a) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)), as
in effect on September 30, 2020, was approved prior to
the date of the enactment of this Act, may be issued a
visa pursuant to that paragraph in accordance with the
availability of visas under subparagraph (B).
(B) Availability of visas.--Visas may be issued to
beneficiaries of approved petitions under each category
described in subparagraph (A), but only until such time
as the number of visas that would have been allocated
to that category in fiscal year 2025, notwithstanding
the amendments made by this section, have been issued.
When the number of visas described in the previous
sentence have been issued for each category described
in subparagraph (A), no additional visas may be issued
for that category.
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