Approved refugees and asylum seekers are impacted by the Trump administration’s decision to halt the processing of some Green Card applications.
This ruling is consistent with the Trump administration’s larger immigration restriction policy.
Requests for legal permanent residency from foreign nationals with asylum or refugee status have been halted, according to CBS News.
Green Card Freeze May Have Four Main Effects on Indians
Due to per-country restrictions, Indian nationals are among those with the longest Green Card backlogs.
There are a lot of Indians on H-1B visas who are awaiting Green Cards, and further delays could lead to work permit expiration, job loss, and possible deportation.
The Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative’s Laura Collins criticized the wait, saying that since these people have already been the subject of government scrutiny, more waiting is needless.
As per her, “All these people who are approved to remain in the United States have already passed government scrutiny.”
According to a Cato Institute study, some employment-based Green Card applicants may now have to wait even longer—possibly for several more decades.
The processing halt may result in extended periods of family separation for Indian immigrants sponsoring family members.
In 2023, there were over 2.9 million immigrants in the United States, and one significant group affected by the legal ambiguity surrounding the Green Card freeze was Indians.
More Than 51,000 Indian Nationals Applied for Asylum in the US in 2023
In 2023, more than 51,000 Indian nationals applied for asylum in the US, which is a considerable increase over prior years.
According to Johns Hopkins University research, this figure indicates a 466% increase in just five years, from 9,000 Indian asylum seekers in 2018 to 51,000 in 2023.
The Trump administration has implemented a temporary suspension of certain green card applications as part of its intensified immigration vetting process. This decision, which directly affects refugees and asylum-seekers, is aligned with the administration’s broader goal of tightening immigration controls.
the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received instructions to halt the processing of some legal permanent residency requests. CBS News reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the suspension, stating it was necessary to comply with recent executive orders issued by President Trump.
