PAUSE Act Advances: Freeze on H-1B, OPT and All U.S. Immigration

A sweeping Republican bill in the House would freeze almost all immigration to the United States, end the H‑1B skilled worker program, and shut down OPT work permits for international students, igniting alarm among universities and technology firms that depend on foreign talent. Introduced by Congressman Chip Roy as the Pausing on Admissions Until Security Ensured, or PAUSE Act, the 2025 proposal, H.R. 6225, would halt most new visas and block many people already living in the country from gaining permanent status until lawmakers pass a series of far‑reaching immigration restrictions, with deep consequences for employers, students, families, and communities.

Core mechanism: an open‑ended moratorium

The core of the bill is a temporary but open‑ended moratorium. Roy’s office describes it as a pause that would stay in place until Congress:

• ends so‑called chain migration
• abolishes the Diversity Visa Lottery
• terminates the H‑1B category
• revisits birthright citizenship rules

Until those goals are met, the measure would:

• stop consulates from issuing almost all visas apart from short‑term tourist visits, and
• block most applications to adjust status inside the United States.

According to a summary of provisions, this would effectively shut down the main legal doors that people use to live, study, or work permanently in the country.

Sponsor rationale and political framing

Roy, a Texas Republican and close ally of former President Trump, has framed the PAUSE Act as a response not only to unlawful crossings at the southern border but also to legal pathways long part of the U.S. system.

“The problem isn’t just illegal immigration; it’s also legal immigration,” he said, arguing that high levels of arrivals are squeezing American workers and families.

He has argued that the federal government should sharply restrict all entries until wages rise, public programs stabilize, and cultural tensions he links to immigration subside across the country and economy.

Specific grievances cited by supporters

To justify the broad freeze, Roy has pointed to several complaints, including:

• That H‑1B visas are awarded disproportionately for entry‑level positions, allegedly used by outsourcing firms and large tech companies to keep salaries low.
• That taxpayers are burdened by public services provided to noncitizens, expressed in Roy’s phrase: “American families are being gouged by insurance companies, while aliens are receiving taxpayer-funded healthcare.” Critics say this language improperly pits immigrant communities against citizens facing rising costs.

Programs targeted: H‑1B and OPT explained

The bill goes further than earlier proposals by directly naming programs long backed by business and higher education:

• H‑1B visas: Allow U.S. employers to temporarily hire foreign professionals in specialty jobs (e.g., software engineers, medical researchers), typically requiring at least a bachelor’s degree.
• OPT (Optional Practical Training): Allows international students who finish degrees at U.S. colleges to work for up to 12 months in most fields, or up to 36 months for certain STEM majors. OPT often serves as a bridge to longer‑term employment.

Under the PAUSE Act, both pathways would disappear:

• The text would terminate the H‑1B category outright, rather than merely capping new numbers.
• It would cancel OPT work authorization for current and future students.

Immediate practical impacts

Immigration lawyers and stakeholders warn of several likely outcomes:

• Thousands of recent graduates could be stranded if their legal status depends on employment tied to OPT.
• Employers who recruited those graduates for hard‑to‑fill roles might be forced to send projects overseas.
• Universities fear prospective international students will choose other destinations (Canada, the U.K., Australia) where post‑study work rights are a selling point.

Context: prior executive actions and fees

The proposal arrives after executive actions from the Trump administration that already reshaped H‑1B policy.

• On September 19, 2025, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation imposing a $100,000 fee on H‑1B visa petitions for workers currently outside the United States.
• The White House framed that step as discouraging abuse of the program, arguing H‑1B has been used to replace rather than supplement American workers.

The proclamation cited a study showing a 36 percent discount for H‑1B “entry‑level” positions compared to full‑time traditional employees, and it pointed to the rise of large IT outsourcing companies as major H‑1B sponsors. The PAUSE Act would:

• write the $100,000 fee into law, and
• expand the fee’s reach across the program, further discouraging employers from filing new petitions abroad.

Arguments from supporters

Supporters say these measures are overdue after decades of expanded immigration that, they assert, left low‑wage Americans behind. Their claims include:

• Ending H‑1B would force companies to train and hire local workers.
• Ending OPT would prevent international graduates from competing with U.S. peers for entry‑level jobs.
• Abolishing the Diversity Visa Lottery is framed as eliminating a random giveaway, rather than preserving a diversification tool within existing immigration limits.

Opposition perspectives and concerns

Immigration advocates, universities, and many employers describe the PAUSE Act as a near‑total shutdown of legal immigration disguised as a temporary pause. Key concerns:

• Ending OPT overnight would disrupt tens of thousands of international students building careers, families, and research projects in the U.S.
• For many graduates, OPT is the only practical way to gain U.S. work experience before returning home or seeking longer‑term visas or permanent residence.
• Universities and employers warn of damage to research, startups, and sectors that rely on international talent.

Enforcement signals and legal pushback

The Trump administration has signaled closer oversight of foreign students’ work plans. Reported actions include:

• Warnings to some recent graduates on OPT to update employer information or risk removal proceedings, per court filings.
• A federal district court granted a temporary restraining order in one case, allowing a university to keep enrolling international students while status questions were adjudicated — suggesting courts may again be drawn into disputes.

Legal analysts predict:

• If the PAUSE Act advances, it will likely face court challenges from businesses, universities, and families arguing Congress cannot abruptly extinguish long‑standing visa categories without clearer findings or transition rules.
• Others counter that Congress has broad power to change immigration statutes and note past cutbacks (for example, some family preference category changes).

For now, the bill’s prospects are uncertain in a divided Congress, but committee hearings or markups would force members to take public positions while interest groups mobilize on all sides.

Broader impacts beyond tech and elite campuses

Analyses suggest the PAUSE Act’s effects would be far‑reaching:

• Family‑based immigrants seeking reunification (spouses, parents, children) could see applications frozen, except for narrow tourist categories that do not allow work or permanent residence.
• Refugees and many humanitarian applicants might also be affected, depending on administrative interpretation.
• Smaller towns that rely on foreign doctors, nurses, and engineers could face staffing shortages and service gaps if new arrivals stop.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the bill’s broad wording means impacts would extend well beyond technology hubs and elite universities.

How communities and institutions are responding

Outside Washington, universities and employers are trying to plan for upcoming academic years and hiring cycles under the bill’s shadow:

• International student advisers report prospective applicants asking whether they should choose other countries if the U.S. may revoke post‑study work rights.
• Technology executives warn that combining the existing $100,000 H‑1B fee with a legislative termination of the program sends a strong negative signal to engineers, data scientists, and entrepreneurs who might otherwise build companies, invest, or work in research‑heavy industries.

Practical guidance and current resources

For now, affected communities must parse complex proposals while following existing rules. Current information about the still‑intact H‑1B category is available on the official USCIS website:

• USCIS – H‑1B Specialty Occupations

Attorneys advise that workers and students should:

1. Keep careful records of status, employment, and communications with officials.
2. Respond promptly to government notices.
3. Stay in contact with school advisers or company lawyers.

These steps are important because swift changes in law or policy can leave even long‑term residents at risk of losing status and limit future paths to stability.