Immigration Brief: Chain Migration

The primary source of immigration to the U.S.

By Jessica M. Vaughan and Bryan Griffith on December 14, 2017

Report: Immigration Multipliers - Trends in Chain Migration

The latest immigration video released by the Center for Immigration Studies focuses on chain migration – individuals allowed permanent entry to the United States because of a family relationship to a recent immigrant. Well over half of all immigrants enter the U.S. and become legal permanent residents based on a family relationship, not on their ability to contribute to American society.

Jessica Vaughan, the Center's director of policy studies, proposes the immigration system be modernized and the "chain" of immigrants, which extends to include even in-laws and nieces and nephews, be trimmed. Skills, education, and background need to play a larger role in immigrant selection.