Glossary
Chain migration
A critics' term for family-based immigration, in which citizens and residents sponsor relatives, who may later sponsor others.
Also called: family-based immigration, family reunification, family preference system
"Chain migration" is a term used by critics of family-based immigration to describe how one immigrant who becomes a citizen or permanent resident can sponsor relatives, who in turn sponsor others, creating a chain. Supporters call it "family reunification" and regard "chain migration" as a loaded phrase.
U.S. law, since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, gives priority to family ties. Immediate relatives of citizens, spouses, minor children and parents are not subject to numerical caps, while other categories, such as adult children and siblings of citizens and spouses and children of permanent residents, are subject to annual caps and long waiting lists, which for some countries run for decades. Roughly two-thirds of new green cards go to family-based immigrants, and a smaller share is for employment.
Critics, including Presidents Trump and some conservatives, argue that the system gives too little weight to skills and economic needs and generates unpredictable growth, and have proposed a merit-based point system, as in Canada and Australia, as in the RAISE Act. Supporters argue that family ties promote integration and stability and are in keeping with American values; research shows that most sponsored relatives of those who become citizens are subject to quotas and waiting. Conservatives and others also debate what the right mix is. See green card and naturalization.
Last reviewed November 8, 2026