Rep. Andy Ogles, a Tennessee Republican and member of the House Freedom Caucus, introduced a bill Friday aimed at fundamentally overhauling the U.S. legal immigration system by repealing key portions of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, known as the Hart-Celler Act.

The legislation targets what Ogles and other conservatives view as flaws in the current framework, which prioritizes family reunification, often called chain migration, and includes the diversity visa lottery. The bill would eliminate the annual lottery that awards 55,000 visas to applicants from countries with low U.S. immigration rates. It also seeks to replace family-based preferences with a system focused on immigrants who serve the "economic, cultural, and security interests of the United States as determined by Congress."

Additional provisions expand "good moral character" requirements for immigrants. Applicants accused of gang affiliation, prior arrests for domestic violence or driving under the influence, even without convictions, misuse of public benefits, immigration violations such as visa overstays, or tax delinquency would be ineligible. The bill mandates enhanced vetting, including background checks, social media reviews, and in-person interviews.

Ogles has long criticized the 1965 law. In a December 2025 social media post, he stated, "The Hart-Celler Act scrapped the highly effective national-origins quota system and replaced it with an immigration regime built to favor third-world migration." The Hart-Celler Act, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, abolished national origins quotas that favored immigrants from Northern and Western Europe. It shifted emphasis to family ties and skills, opening pathways from Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Proponents at the time argued it ended discriminatory practices, though Johnson described it as not revolutionary.

The bill arrives amid heightened Republican scrutiny of both illegal and legal immigration. With a GOP-led Congress in the 119th session, conservatives have pushed measures to reduce overall immigration levels. Ogles has sponsored other immigration-related bills, including one to expedite the removal of recent illegal entrants and proposals to restrict entry from certain countries.

No cosponsors or formal bill number were immediately available, as the measure was unveiled early Friday. It reflects a broader conservative effort to return immigration policy to what supporters call a merit-based model prioritizing American interests.

Democrats and immigrant advocacy groups have not yet commented publicly on the proposal. The bill faces long odds in a divided Congress, where comprehensive immigration reform has stalled for years.