Significant legal immigration reduction, not likely to happen

[rob in cal]

   While Pres. Trump is chipping away at some aspects of the whole immigration structure into the US, there isn't much he can do without congressional approval to make wholesale reductions in the overall 1 million or so legal immigration numbers coming into the US on annual basis. He could try some far reaching EO to do this, but I don't think it would pass a court challenge.
   In terms of congress, I just don't see enough GOP unity to pass a big reduction bill, which would probably consist of abolishing the visa lottery, clamp down on H1 visas, and reduce family reunification possibilities.  There would be little or no Dem support for such measures (different than in 1995 when about 20 mostly southern House Dems did vote for the last big attempt at this), and there are enough Mccain, Graham, Tillis types out there who if anything support even higher amounts of legal immigration.
   So, on this central component of demographic change in the US, which is a key component in expanding the future mass basis of the Democratic party and in building up the coalition of the ascendant, I just don't see the chance for a Trumpist victory. Perhaps something for despondent Democrats to keep in mind when they are depressed at the current political landscape.

[rob in cal]

  I think going to a skills based system is something that merits a real close look at.  Right now a really big part of legal immigration is family reunification, or chain migration as its been called. Limiting that in combination with a shift to a skills based system would probably get a lot of support, but there is so much emotion involved in this issue, I could see it having a tough go getting passed.
   One thing that might get bipartisan support unless Trump bungles the roll out of it (a distinct possibility of course) would be H1 visa reform in which the wage that companies pay to the visa receipients has to be really high.  A high wage for the visa holders would prove that there is a strong demand for them, which is the very point of what companies have been arguing for.