WASHINGTON (TIP): An influential American lawmaker has called for the removal of country-specific quotas for green cards in the US, saying the system was unjust for people from countries like India and China.

Republican Congressman Kevin Yoder from Kansas yesterday became the lead sponsor of the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act.

The Act reforms the legal immigration system by eliminating the existing, arbitrary per-country percentage caps that have caused backlogs in the employment-based green card system, he said. He argued that the existing country-specific quota for Green card is unjust for people from countries like India and China.

A report released this week said that the average wait time for an Indian technology professional or those seeking a Green Card under the employment category is more than 12 years.

The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act was previously introduced by former-Representative Jason Chaffetz, with Yoder as an original cosponsor.

Currently, 230 members of Congress are signed on as cosponsors of the bill, with more than 100 members from each party in support.

(Source: PTI)