H.R. 6225 — PAUSE Act of 2025

This section prohibits issuing visas or granting any immigration status to aliens until immigration laws are amended to (1) permit states and localities to deny public school access to aliens unlawfully present in the United States; (2) bar nonimmigrants from adjusting to lawful permanent resident status; (3) limit birthright citizenship to children born in the United States with at least one U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident parent; (4) restrict immediate relative status under INA §201(a)(1) to spouses or minor children of U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; (5) deny lawful status to Islamists, Sharia law observers, Chinese Communist Party members or associates, known or suspected terrorists, or foreign terrorist organization affiliates; and (6) bar aliens from federal benefits including Medicare; emergency Medicaid unrelated to organ transplants; Supplemental Security Income; SNAP; premium tax credits under IRC §36B; earned income tax credits under IRC §32; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC, 42 U.S.C. 1786); Higher Education Act student loans; HUD housing, community development, or farm/rural housing assistance; and Small Business Act loans or guarantees. (Thus, the provision effectively suspends most immigration processing pending congressional action on these reforms.) The prohibitions take effect on enactment, with prior applications revoked and fees refunded, but do not apply to B-2 visas for tourists or medical treatment.

This section establishes a $100,000 additional fee, notwithstanding any other provision of law and beginning in FY2026, on an employer filing a petition (1) initially to grant an alien H-1B nonimmigrant status for a specialty occupation under INA §101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b); (2) to extend the stay of such an alien (unless the employer previously obtained an extension for that alien); or (3) to authorize such an alien to change employers. (H-1B visas enable U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in positions requiring specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent.)

This section terminates the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program by prohibiting employment authorization for any alien present in the United States as a nonimmigrant student under INA §101(a)(15)(F)(i) (i.e., F-1 visa holders). The prohibition takes effect on the date of enactment; existing authorizations for aliens selected prior to enactment are revoked, with fees refunded.

This section terminates the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program by repealing the diversity immigrant category under INA §203(c) (8 U.S.C. 1153(c))—which allocates up to 55,000 visas annually (reduced by certain adjustments) to natives of countries with low U.S. immigration rates—and striking the worldwide level for such visas under INA §201(a)(3). It also makes conforming amendments to INA §§201, 203, and 204 to remove all references to the diversity category. The amendments take effect on the date of enactment, except that applications by aliens selected for FY diversity visas prior to enactment are revoked and associated fees refunded.