US Congressman Chip Roy has announced plans to introduce a sweeping bill that would place a complete freeze on all immigration to the United States, a proposal he argues is necessary to protect national security and overhaul what he describes as a broken immigration system. Speaking during an appearance on The Benny Show, the Texas Republican outlined a far-reaching list of conditions that would have to be met before immigration could resume, covering visa reform, citizenship rules, and ideological screening.
Roy said the legislation would halt every form of immigration until Congress delivers major reforms. He insisted that the United States must first “fix” chain migration, eliminate the H-1B visa programme, and end birthright citizenship as it currently exists. He also said that all new entrants should be vetted for what he called “adherence to Sharia law,” framing the issue as one connected to national security and cultural cohesion.
Expanding on his argument, Roy claimed that the US is grappling with what he described as rising “Islamism” and communities that, in his view, are not assimilating into American society. He asserted that these groups do not fully embrace American values, the Constitution, or Western principles, and therefore pose long-term challenges to national identity. His remarks represent one of the most sweeping calls yet from a sitting lawmaker to restrict immigration on ideological and cultural grounds rather than purely economic or security criteria.
If implemented as described, Roy’s proposal would suspend all legal immigration channels — including family-based visas, work visas, humanitarian admissions, and diversity visas — until Congress enacts the reforms he listed. The bill would therefore touch nearly every component of America’s immigration framework, from employment pathways like H-1B to foundational principles such as birthright citizenship under the Fourteenth Amendment.
Roy’s position aligns closely with former President Donald Trump’s agenda, particularly the administration’s recent moves to tighten high-skilled visa programmes. In September, Trump signed a proclamation increasing the application fee for new H-1B petitions to USD 100,000, a drastic jump from the previous level of around USD 1,500. Although the State Department later clarified that the change applies only to applicants entering the visa lottery after September 21, the announcement triggered intense debate and renewed scrutiny of the H-1B system.
The congressman’s comments come at a time when immigration policy is already one of the most polarising subjects in American politics. His proposal is expected to draw strong support from hard-line conservatives but equally intense opposition from business groups, legal experts, and civil-rights advocates, who argue that a complete immigration freeze would be unprecedented and legally questionable. The bill, once introduced, is likely to ignite a fresh round of debate over the future of America’s immigration system, economic competitiveness, and identity as a nation built by immigrants.
