BLUF: The U.S. legal immigration system is incredibly narrow, with nearly all immigrants seeking permanent residence ineligible due to the requirement to fit into one of five narrow and difficult-to-meet exceptions, resulting in backlogs, waiting periods, and visa lottery systems that offer only slim chances of success.
The AI looks at an article analyzing U.S. legal immigration by David J. Bier and exposes the complexities and biases in U.S. immigration law that make nearly all immigrants ineligible to immigrate legally. The five narrow exceptions are the refugee program, diversity lottery, family sponsorship, employment-based self-sponsorship, and employer sponsorship, each with their unique limitations and requirements that leave little room for success. Despite the portrayal of immigration as waiting in line, it is more like a lottery system with long waiting periods, backlogs, and a very slim chance of success, which further accentuates the need for immigration reform.