Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has put forward a controversial piece of legislation called the PAUSE Act (“Pause on Admissions Until Security Ensured”), which would temporarily halt almost all legal immigration to the United States. According to Roy, the current immigration system is deeply flawed, “broken and exploited,” and requires sweeping changes before new immigrants are admitted. His proposal aims not only to curb illegal entries but also to restrict legal pathways, arguing that both strands of immigration are overwhelming the system. The PAUSE Act would freeze admissions and simultaneously push for major changes to how visas are issued, how families can sponsor relatives, and how citizenship is conferred by birth.
At the heart of Roy’s argument is the idea that the immigration system should serve Americans, not be taken advantage of by others. He insists that the current legal immigration process — including chain migration (family-based sponsorship), visa programs like H-1B, and the Diversity Visa lottery — is being manipulated to bring in people who may not contribute significantly or align with American values. He contends that allowing “millions more” through convoluted legal means has placed an unsustainable burden on public resources and services. For Roy, the solution is to pause these inflows entirely until a new framework is in place.
Specifically, the PAUSE Act would eliminate or dramatically reform several existing policies. It would do away with the Diversity Visa lottery, which randomly awards visas to people from underrepresented countries. Family-based migration would be restricted: only spouses and minor children would be allowed as sponsors, effectively ending chain migration as currently practiced. Furthermore, birthright citizenship would be limited — only children born to at least one U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident would automatically qualify, ending the current policy of jus soli (citizenship by birthplace).
On the welfare and social benefits front, the legislation calls for strict restrictions for noncitizens. Immigrants under the PAUSE Act would be barred from accessing means-tested federal welfare programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, public housing, and other aid. Education policy would also shift: localities would have the option to deny public school enrolment to children of noncitizens, rolling back protections like those established under Plyler v. Doe. On national security, the bill would bar certain categories of immigrants entirely, including those affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, extremist or terrorist organizations, and — controversially — individuals who adhere to Sharia law.
Roy argues that the freeze isn’t indefinite. Rather, it would remain in place until key reforms are codified into law and verified by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Among the triggers for lifting the pause would be secure borders, elimination or reform of visa systems, and tighter ideological vetting of immigrants. He frames this as a necessary “pump the brakes” move: a temporary but firm pause to rebuild a system that he believes currently fails Americans, both economically and culturally.
The PAUSE Act has drawn support from conservative and hard-line immigration groups. In his press release, Roy noted that co-sponsors include Reps. Keith Self, Brandon Gill, Andy Biggs, Lauren Boebert, Eli Crane, and Andy Ogles. Critics argue the bill could have serious economic downsides, reducing both low-skilled and high-skilled immigration — which are often key drivers of innovation and labor force growth. On the other hand, supporters say it’s an overdue reckoning for a system that has become too generous and too easily exploited. Either way, the bill underscores how immigration continues to be a deeply contentious issue, with starkly different visions about who should be allowed into America and under what conditions.
