As Congress considers a deal to provide relief for young immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children, President Trump and his Republican allies are demanding an end to what they call “chain migration,” or family-based immigration.

The term itself has become a point of contention. Democrats and immigration advocates claim it is a pejorative phrase that demeans recent arrivals. Republicans argue it’s a useful shorthand for family sponsorship.

Below is a look at the facts behind recent family/chain immigration patterns, the underlying federal policies that govern them, and a look at how use of the phrase “chain migration” itself has very suddenly become a contentious and polarizing part of the debate.

How many immigrants are admitted through family sponsorship?



Since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the United States has prioritized admitting immigrants with relatives living here. According to data from the Department of Homeland Security, about 7 million out of the nearly 11 million immigrants who obtained green cards from 2007 to 2016, did so through family relations.