WASHINGTON, DC(TIP): Indian-origin high-skilled workers and their kids caught up in the broken American immigration system received full support from the powerful Republican lawmakers to obtain lawful permanent residency, popularly known as a green card.
Addressing a rally on the expansive west lawn of the US Capitol, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky told a sizeable crowd of Indian immigrants: “You have come lawfully. You have come legally and yet it takes forever and maybe it never happens at all that you get your permanent residency”. A simple way to fix that, he said, is “more green cards and no country limits”. The current immigration system imposes a seven percent per-country quota on the allotment of family-sponsored and employment-based visas.
An influential voice in Congress, Paul has been in the forefront of boosting high-skilled immigration including increasing the H-1B visa cap, allowing the best and brightest to come to America. “The Indian-American community has exceeded to such levels that it is difficult to recount”, he told the crowd at the rally, mentioning Nobel laureates, Deans at prestigious universities, CEOs in Silicon Valley of Indian origin.
Imploring the gathering to be more engaged, Paul said, “People need to talk about what the Indian-American community has brought to America, how you are already part of America, how you are making America great”.
On eliminating the per country cap for allotment of employment-based visas, he reasoned, “If you want to work and you’ve got a job and you want to be part of America, there are much larger amounts (of immigrant workers) that we can bring in. There is not really a limit if people will work”. In his own state, he disclosed, there is a shortage of skilled workers. “So, we want more people in our country, but we need to do it lawfully, legally and with a process”, he emphasized.
The rally was organized under the aegis of the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) founded by Chicago-based industrialist Shalabh Kumar, a staunch supporter of President Trump. On hand, were his son Vikram Aditya and daughter Manasvi spearheading the proceedings.
The event drew busloads of Indian professionals and kids from across the US including the states of California, North Carolina and New Jersey. At one point, rally-goers made a human chain on the expansive lawn of the US Capitol chanting slogans like “Clear green card backlog”, “High-skilled immigrants deserve better”, “DALCA deserves better”. It was quite a sight to behold as they raised their voices in unison hoping those in the corridors of power would hear and heed their clarion call for action.
In the spotlight were children of H-1B visa holders which the RHC calls DALCA (Deferred Action for Legal Childhood Arrivals) kids. They face possible deportation when they age out of their H-4 dependent status. These are the legal Dreamers sidelined by the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) kids who were brought to the US illegally as children.
While acknowledging that he sympathizes with DACA recipients, Senator Paul made it clear he doesn’t believe “they should somehow get in front or obscure the kids of legal immigrants” who must have protections in place.
Congressman Pete Sessions of Texas, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules, thanked the crowd at the rally for sending a message to their families in India that “America wants and needs India to succeed. We want your great and young Prime Minister Modi to be just not a world leader, but a brave leader who will forge a path with America towards a better future”, he said.