Green Card waitlist over 195 years for Indians: US Senator
An Indian national hoping for a Green Card would have to wait for over 195 years, said a top United States Senator. A Green Card is issued to immigrants as evidence that they have been granted the privilege to reside permanently in the US. The revelation was made as Senator Mike Lee urged his colleagues to devise a legislative resolution to fix this problem.
Lee was speaking on legislation moved by Senator Dick Durbin
Lee, the Senator from Utah, said on Wednesday that the current Green Card Policy does not serve an immigrant whose dead parent's Green Card application is rejected because their job is no longer available. Lee was speaking on the legislation moved by Senator Dick Durbin, which aims to ease the Green Card backlog for immigrants and their children.
Indian entering backlog would have to wait 195 years: Lee
Lee said, "Someone from India entering the backlog today would have to wait 195 years to receive an EB3 green card. Even if we give their children this limbo status, none of them will have a prayer of becoming a US citizen." In FY2019, Indian nationals received 9,008 category 1 (EB1), 2,908 category 2 (EB2), and 5,083 category 3 (EB3) Green Cards.
Green Card backlog puts families at risk: Durbin
Durbin said, "Green Cards are critical in the lives of so many who are here on temporary work visas. The backlog puts families at risk of losing immigration status as they wait year after weary year to finally make it through this Green Card backlog."
'Bipartisan agreement would add critical protections absent in original bill'
Durbin said, "Our bipartisan agreement would add critical protections that were not in the original bill for immigrant workers and their immediate family members who are stuck in the backlog." He added, "They would be able to switch jobs and travel without losing immigration status. And children of immigrant workers would be protected from aging out so they will not face deportation."
What are the proposed legislative changes?
The Lee-Durbin agreement seeks to make three changes to the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act. The amendment would allow immigrants stuck in the backlog to "early file" for Green Cards. It would also create a Green Card set aside for immigrant workers unable to "early file" due to being stuck in the backlog overseas.
Crackdown on abuse of H-1B visas
Finally, the amendment would also crackdown on the abuse of H-1B temporary worker visas by outsourcing companies. It would prohibit a company from hiring additional H-1B workers if its workforce is more than 50 employees or more than 50% temporary workers.
