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US Green Card Policies: The rules concerning Green Cards may change significantly in the near future. This is based on a new proposal from Democratic Party MP Alex Padilla. It is stated that a foreign worker is eligible for a Green Card if he/she has resided in the country for seven consecutive years, has no criminal record, and meets several other prerequisites. This comes at a time when the Trump administration is deporting thousands of individuals from the country.
Democratic Party members have labelled the policy towards foreign employees and students as discriminatory. This bill is expected to be presented in the US Senate the coming week, however, many experts on immigration policy are skeptical about its chances. MP Dick Durbin will act as a co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate, with Representative Joe Lofgren spearheading it in the House. Currently, the proposed bill has provided hope to many Indian professionals seeking Green Cards.
What are the benefits for Indians?
If the bill passes, it would allow many Indian workers mired in the backlog for an employment-based green card to access the card faster. Moreover, the workers who would benefit are those whose children are over 21 and may have to separate from them due to current laws. Children who turn 21 have to either leave the country or find a visa capable of permitting them to stay in the country legally.
As of March 2023, a study done by David J. Beer of the Cato Institute claims that the backlog in the EB-3 and EB-2 categories is standing at an astonishing 10.7 lakh. That’s 1.34 lakh children who have to leave the country because their parents are stuck in the green card queue. The provisions in the bill being proposed seem to have straightforward and reasonable rules, and a sizable number of Indian workers would benefit from it.
In the case that benefits students, obtaining a green card is relatively easier. An American degree will take two to four years to complete, and afterward, one can work on OPT for an additional one to three years. Furthermore, a job is secured for three years with an H-1B visa. Students should easily meet the seven-year requirement through this pathway.
Britain's MP Alex Padilla believes, "This update will pave the way for giving green cards to 80 lakh people, which includes Dreamers, forcibly displaced persons, children of long-term visa holders, essential employees and high-skill workers, such as H-1B visa holders. These people have been waiting to get a green card for years.”
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