AP FACT CHECK: Trump on Diversity Visas

Originally published by The New York Times

A look at President Donald Trump's statement on the diversity visa program Tuesday night and how it compares with the facts:

TRUMP: "The third pillar (of my immigration plan) ends the visa lottery — a program that randomly hands out green cards without any regard to skill, merit or the safety of our people."

THE FACTS: That's a highly misleading characterization. The program is not nearly that random and it does address skills, merit and safety.

The diversity visa program awards up to 50,000 green cards a year to people from underrepresented countries, largely in Africa. It requires applicants to have completed a high school education or have at least two years of experience in the last five years in a selection of fields identified by the Labor Department.

Winners are then randomly selected by computer, from that pool of applicants who met the pre-conditions. Winners must submit to extensive background checks, just like any other immigrant.

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Read more:https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/01/31/us/politics/ap-us-state-of-union-fact-check-diversity-visas.html?mtrref=www.nytimes.com