Following New York City bike path attack, House bill would eliminate Diversity Immigrant Visa Program

A visa program that allowed a terrorist who killed eight people on New York City bike path to enter the country would be eliminated under a bill introduced in the House of Representatives on Monday.

Sayfullo Saipov immigrated to the United States from Uzbekistan through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. He later swore allegiance to ISIS and carried out the terror attack in New York City on Oct. 31.

Established under the Immigration Act of 1990, the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes up to 50,000 visas available each year through a lottery system. Its goal is to provide visas to people from countries with low numbers of immigrant admissions to the United States.

Under the Protecting America and American Workers Act, the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program would be terminated. Approximately 26,000 visas that would have been awarded through the program would be replaced with 24,000 employment visas.

U.S. Rep. Martha McSally (R-AZ), the author of the bill, said it “makes no sense” for the United States to forgo its right to choose who is admitted into the country and to instead “blindly” choose people through a lottery system that doesn’t consider sponsors, skills, or support systems.

“Saipov proved again that it is dangerous to continue this flawed program,” McSally said. “America is a nation of immigrants, but we should welcome immigrants based on merit — not chance. By ending this program and instead creating more employment-based visas we can make our country safer while still opening our doors to people who will work hard towards a better future for their families and our country.”