WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump says proposed legislation to limit legal immigration would be the most significant change to the system in half a century.

  

Trump says the measure would make the system more "merit based" for skilled English speakers. White House officials say the bill will aim to create a skills-based immigration system to make the U.S. more competitive, raise wages and create jobs.

The president says it would keep out people who will just end up collecting welfare, but provided no further information to support his statement Wednesday.

  

The legislation is sponsored by Republican Sens. David Purdue of Georgia and Tom Cotton at Arkansas. Both lawmakers joined Trump at the White House on Wednesday, where the president publicly endorsed the bill. His involvement puts him at the center of efforts to overhaul the system of legal immigration.

Trump said at an Ohio rally last month that he was working with them to "create a new immigration system for America."

  

Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a hallmark of his administration.