What's happening with immigration

President Trump just announced plans to replace existing green cards with a new "Build America Visa."

Trump went on to describe the new immigration selection system he hopes to see implemented, which would include a new points-based system. He said migrants will be required to learn English and pass a civics exam.

"You will get more points for being a younger worker, meaning you will contribute more to our social safety net. You will get more points for having a valuable skill and offer of employment and advanced education or a plan to create jobs," Trump said.

He added: "Priority will also be given to higher wage workers, ensuring we never undercut American labor. To protect benefits from American citizens, immigrants must be financially self-sufficient. Finally, to promote integration, assimilation and national unity, future immigrants will be required to learn English and to pass a civics exam prior to admission."

President Trump says his bill will "humanely reunite unaccompanied children with their families back home" while filtering out what he called "frivolous" claims of asylum in the US.

"Legitimate asylum-seekers are being replaced by those lodging frivolous claims -- these are frivolous claims to gain admission into our country," he said in the Rose Garden.

In his remarks, Trump praised a separate measure being proposed by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham that would, in part, change the current asylum process in an attempt to stem the flow of migrants arriving at the southern border.

President Trump says a newly unveiled immigration plan would "transform America's immigration system into the pride of our nation and the envy of the modern world."

Trump boasted his measure was not drafted by politicians, but instead utilized input from law enforcement professionals to make the US southern border "100% operationally secure."

President Trump says an immigration plan he is unveiling Thursday provides a "clear contrast" with other proposals he's deemed unsatisfactory.

"Democrats are proposing open borders, lower wages, and frankly lawless chaos," he said in the Rose Garden. "We are proposing an immigration plan that puts the jobs, wages and safety of American workers first."

President Trump, speaking from the Rose Garden today, laid out his new immigration plan, which he said includes two goals: securing the border and establishing a new legal immigration system.

Here's how Trump explained his plan:

President Trump just began his remarks in the White House Rose Garden.

"We're here on this very beautiful spring day in the Rose Garden to unveil our plan to create a fair, modern and lawful system of immigration for the United States," the President said. "And it is about time."

Watch it live in the video player above.

Even within the GOP, immigration is a divisive issue. And if Republicans were to reach a consensus, they'd still have to earn support among Democrats, who control the House of Representatives.

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner briefed Senate Republicans on the plan Tuesday. After the meeting, some participants said they were "underwhelmed" by his proposal.

One of the officials acknowledged that the White House proposal would be a "much heavier lift" than Sen. Lindsey Graham's proposal to change the asylum process — and not all Republicans have bought into the plan.

"Right now, we're working with Sen. Graham and I know he's been working with Customs and Border (Protection) on how to deal with the immediate crisis," a senior administration official said. "This would solve the immediate crisis. But this is obviously a much heavier lift."

Ahead of today's immigration announcement, there are divisions inside President Trump's team about how big to go on the issue, according to a senior GOP source familiar with internal and external White House discussions.

Though influential players like Stephen Miller want to focus mostly on border issues, some, such as Jared Kushner, say they are willing to go bigger than what will be proposed today — such as including DACA — in order to get a deal.

Remember: The plan currently makes no mention about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also called DACA.

They are being reminded by GOP allies that they will be run into familiar issues, such as:

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders this morning answered questions about why the Trump administration isn’t touching Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also called DACA, in the immigration plan it will roll out today.

She said the issue creates division and it was purposely left out.

 Here's how she put it: