PAUSE Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Roy
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a nationwide pause on issuing visas and providing immigration status until a set of conditions in the immigration system are met. It would also restrict who can claim birthright citizenship and bar many federal benefits for certain noncitizens.
Show full summary
- Families and children: Would restrict birthright citizenship to a child born in the United States only if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident. It would also allow state and local governments to deny access to public schools for people present without lawful status.
- Nonimmigrants and pending applicants: Would prevent nonimmigrants from adjusting to lawful permanent resident status and pause new visas or status grants. It would revoke applications filed before enactment if the new rules make the applicant ineligible and refund any fee paid.
- People screened by ideology or affiliation: Would bar lawful status for people described as Islamists or observers of Sharia law, members or associates of the Chinese Communist Party, known or suspected terrorists, or people affiliated with foreign terrorist organizations.
- Low-income immigrants and borrowers: Would deny many federal benefits and supports to aliens, including Medicare and Medicaid emergency medical care in certain cases, Supplemental Security Income, SNAP, WIC, premium tax credits, the Earned Income Tax Credit, federal student loans, HUD housing assistance, and Small Business Administration loans or guarantees.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 7 costs, 0 mixed.
Ends work permits for F‑1 students
F‑1 students would no longer receive work authorization through Optional Practical Training. If you were selected for OPT before enactment, that authorization would be revoked and your fee refunded. This would start on enactment.
New $100,000 fee on H‑1B filings
Starting in fiscal year 2026, employers would pay an extra $100,000 when filing certain H‑1B petitions. The fee would apply to initial H‑1B grants, some extensions, and change‑of‑employer filings. It would be due at filing.
Birthright citizenship limited by parents
A child born in the U.S. would be a citizen only if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident. Birthplace alone would no longer be enough. This change would take effect on enactment.
Visa pause and tighter green-card rules
The bill would pause issuing new visas and immigration status nationwide until certain conditions are met, with a narrow visitor‑visa exception. Nonimmigrants would no longer be able to adjust status to a green card. Family sponsorship would be limited to only spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens or green card holders. People in listed groups (for example, Islamists, Sharia observers, Chinese Communist Party members or associates, known or suspected terrorists, or affiliates of foreign terrorist groups) would be barred from lawful status. If you applied before enactment and become ineligible under these rules, your case would be revoked and your fees refunded.
Cuts many federal benefits for noncitizens
If enacted, noncitizens would be blocked from many federal benefits and credits. This includes Medicare, some Medicaid emergency care, SSI, SNAP, WIC, the premium tax credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. It would also block certain federal student loans, HUD housing help, and SBA loan guarantees. These changes would start on enactment.
States could deny school to undocumented kids
States and localities would be allowed to deny public school enrollment to children without lawful status. If your child lacks lawful status, a state could refuse to enroll them. Families might need private school or other options.
Ends the Diversity Visa lottery
The Diversity Visa lottery would end on enactment. If you were selected and notified before enactment, your selection would be revoked and your fee refunded.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Roy
TX • R
Cosponsors
Biggs (AZ)
AZ • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Self
TX • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Ogles
TN • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Boebert
CO • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Gill (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Fine
FL • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Crane
AZ • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Donalds
FL • R
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Nehls
TX • R
Sponsored 12/12/2025
Harshbarger
TN • R
Sponsored 1/7/2026
Gosar
AZ • R
Sponsored 1/30/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govRelated Bills
HR425 — Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act
Ends the Corporate Transparency Act and removes its amendments from federal law. It also adjusts related U.S. Code citations and parts of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 to reflect that repeal. - Repeals the Corporate Transparency Act as title LXIV of division F of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283) and removes all amendments made by that Act. - Edits Title 31, United States Code by removing or changing cross-references that mentioned section 5336 and updating references in sections 5321 and 5322. - Alters the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 by repealing section 6502 and striking or modifying portions of section 6509 as described in the bill.
HR569 — Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025
Restrict who counts as "subject to the jurisdiction" for birthright citizenship by tying it to parents' legal status. This bill would rewrite the statutory definition in 8 U.S.C. 1401 to make parental status the determining factor for whether a U.S. birth qualifies under the jurisdiction test. - Families and children: A person born in the United States would be considered subject to the jurisdiction only if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or national, a lawful permanent resident whose residence is in the United States, or an alien with lawful status who is actively serving in the armed forces. This ties eligibility to specific parental categories rather than territorial birth alone. - Noncitizen parents: Children born to parents who do not meet those listed parental statuses would not meet the statute's jurisdictional test for birthright citizenship under this framework. - Timing and grandfathering: The bill says these changes would not affect the citizenship or nationality status of anyone born before the law takes effect.
HR22 — SAVE Act
Requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in Federal elections. The bill would add verification, recordkeeping, and new penalties while creating a sworn-affidavit and official‑verification path for people who cannot present documents. - Voters without documents: People who lack documentary proof would rely on a standardized sworn affidavit or an official verification process the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must develop. Provisional ballots could still be cast and counted if citizenship is later verified. - State agencies and DMVs: Motor vehicle agencies and other voter registration points would be required to collect and record citizenship documents and to notify applicants in advance. The Federal mail registration form would be revised and the EAC must issue guidance within 10 days of enactment. - Removal and enforcement: States could use Department of Homeland Security Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (DHS SAVE), the Social Security Administration (SSA) verification service, and state ID data to identify and remove noncitizens. The bill expands private suits and increases criminal penalties for knowingly registering or assisting noncitizens.
HR925 — Dismantle DEI Act of 2025
Bans many federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices across the federal government. The bill would define a narrow set of "prohibited DEI practices," require agencies to end DEI offices and related programs, and block similar DEI requirements for contractors, grantees, accrediting bodies, and parts of the military and financial regulators.
HR1301 — Death Tax Repeal Act
This bill would repeal the federal estate tax and the generation‑skipping transfer tax. It would also reshape gift tax rules by keeping tiered rates but creating a $10 million lifetime exemption indexed for inflation. - Heirs of people who die on or after enactment would not owe the federal estate tax. This removes that tax from those estates. - Donors and high‑net‑worth individuals would still face a gift tax, but under a tiered schedule from 18% to 35% and a $10 million lifetime exemption that is indexed for inflation after 2011. - Generation‑skipping transfers made on or after enactment would not be subject to the GST tax. Qualified domestic trusts for surviving spouses of decedents who died before enactment would follow transitional rules, including changed treatment of distributions after a 10‑year period beginning on the enactment date.
HR7296 — SAVE America Act
Requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections and a nationwide tangible photo ID for voting. The bill pairs those rules with a rapid federal verification program using DHS SAVE and the Social Security Administration’s SSN Verification Service and sets tight setup deadlines for implementation.
Take It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Create a free account to save research, track policy impacts, and unlock your personalized versions of these pages.
Already have an account? Sign in