Senator Tommy Tuberville has introduced a sweeping immigration proposal that would replace most employment-based green card categories with a points system emphasizing wages, education, English proficiency and other measures of merit. The bill could significantly reshape permanent-residence options for international students and foreign professionals, but it remains a legislative proposal and has not changed current immigration law.
The Alabama Republican announced the Americans First Immigration Act on September 24, 2026. Congressional tracking records identify the Senate measure as S. 5485 and show that it was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The proposal is a Senate companion to H.R. 8586, introduced in the House on April 29, 2026, by Representative Barry Moore of Alabama. It would replace the existing employment-based preference categories with a program that ranks applicants according to qualifying employment, extraordinary achievement, educational attainment, English-language ability, military service and age.
Under the House text, applicants would generally need a qualifying U.S. job offer, at least 16 points, an age between 18 and 51, and an English proficiency score in the fifth decile or higher. Salary requirements would depend partly on whether the applicant earned a qualifying degree from a U.S. institution.
The legislation would also establish new recruitment and attestation requirements for employers sponsoring foreign workers. Companies would need to document good-faith efforts to recruit U.S. workers and offer the position to any American applicant who was equally or better qualified.
Employers would also have to certify that they had not displaced a U.S. worker from an essentially equivalent position during a defined period. Violations could expose employers to financial and other penalties under the proposal.
For international graduates, the system would place greater weight on measurable factors such as compensation, U.S. education and English ability. However, earning a degree or meeting the minimum point threshold would not necessarily guarantee selection because eligible applicants would be ranked against one another.
The bill goes beyond employment immigration. It would eliminate the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program and narrow family-sponsored immigration primarily to spouses and minor children. It also proposes transitional restrictions affecting certain pending and future petitions, although the precise consequences would depend on the final language if Congress advances the measure.
No existing green card category has been eliminated. The proposal would need approval from both chambers of Congress and the president's signature before becoming law. Students and professionals should continue following current USCIS and State Department requirements unless an official legal change is enacted.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Individuals evaluating immigration options should consult a qualified immigration attorney about their circumstances.