Trump says the measure would make the system more “merit based” for skilled English speakers. He says it would keep out people who will just end up collecting welfare. He provided no information to support his statement.
The legislation is sponsored by Republican Sens. David Purdue of Georgia and Tom Cotton at Arkansas. Both lawmakers joined Trump at the White House on Wednesday, where the president publicly endorsed the bill. His involvement puts him at the center of efforts to overhaul the system of legal immigration.
Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a hallmark of his administration.
This post has been updated.
