The system is byzantine because it is a hack around public opinion. Since 1965, support for more immigration peaked around 35%: https://nypost.com/2022/08/08/more-americans-want-fewer-immi..., with everyone else wanting it to either stay the same or be reduced.
So Congress can take advantage of the fact that a lot of people are okay with the status quo, but can’t affirmatively enact legislation that would be seen as creating a new pathway for permanent immigration.
So the current system was built on a series of small measures that could fly under the radar. Eliminating the rebuttable presumption of immigrant intent in subsection blah blah blah doesn’t sound like it’s going to create a new pathway for permanent immigrants.
The 1965 immigration act was sold to americans on the idea that it was simply ending country-origin discrimination, and wouldn’t increase immigration or change america’s demographics: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/29/podcasts/the-daily/electi....
So Congress can take advantage of the fact that a lot of people are okay with the status quo, but can’t affirmatively enact legislation that would be seen as creating a new pathway for permanent immigration. So the current system was built on a series of small measures that could fly under the radar. Eliminating the rebuttable presumption of immigrant intent in subsection blah blah blah doesn’t sound like it’s going to create a new pathway for permanent immigrants.