Andy Ogles targets ‘chain migration’ in massive legal immigration overhaul

FIRST ON FOX: A member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus is proposing legislation that would usher in the most significant immigration legal overhaul the United States has seen in decades.

Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., is spearheading a new bill that would shift the U.S. immigration system from a family-centered approach, largely ending chain migration and prioritizing immigrants who serve the U.S. “national interest.”

“All immigration to the United States must further the economic, cultural, and security interests of the United States as determined by Congress,” states a draft of the legislation obtained by Fox News Digital.

It would also eliminate the diversity visa lottery, an annual quota allowing 55,000 immigrant visas to be granted to people from countries with otherwise low migration rates to the United States.

Senate Republicans push to expel, misrepresent fraudsters amid Minnesota scandal

Representative Andy Ogles walks through the United States Capitol in Washington, DC on February 3, 2026. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images)

Individuals seeking to immigrate to the United States would also have to meet an expanded set of “good moral character requirements.” Would-be immigrants accused of gang membership and who have previously been arrested for domestic violence or driving under the influence — even without a conviction — could be at risk of being ineligible.

Other circumstances that could impede eligibility under this standard include misuse of public benefits, any immigration violations such as visa overstay, and tax delinquency.

Mandatory checks to confirm “good moral character” would include “enhanced background checks, including a review of social media and in-person interviews.”

Applicants for U.S. citizenship sit before receiving their naturalization certificates during an official ceremony in New York, June 4, 2025. (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)

GOP BILL, BACKED BY WHITE HOUSE, WOULD REVOKE CITIZENSHIP AFTER SOMALIAN FRAUD SCANDAL

Republicans have long taken a hard line on illegal immigration, but a growing number of conservatives have also expressed skepticism about the legal immigration process.

Ogles’ bill would overturn key parts of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, colloquially known as the “Hart-Celler Act” after its two main supporters in Congress.

The United States Capitol building is seen at sunset, January 30, 2025. (Emma Woodhead/Fox News Digital)

This landmark bill reversed long-standing immigration quotas that overwhelmingly favored people from Northern and Western Europe, opening the way for more migration pathways for people from Asia, Latin America, Africa, as well as countries like Eastern Europe.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

He established a system favoring family reunification, refugees, and people with specific skills deemed beneficial to the U.S. economy.

Ogles himself had previously called for the repeal of Hart-Celler, posting on