Thousands of young Indians in the United States are living in fear of “self-deportation” as they approach the age of 21. Under current US immigration laws, children of H-1B visa holders lose their dependent status once they turn 21, leaving them in a precarious situation. Previously, they had a two-year grace period to transition to another visa, but recent policy changes have made their future even more uncertain. <\/p>\n
Many of these young Indians, who moved to the US as minors on H-4 dependent visas, are now exploring options to immigrate to countries like Canada or the UK, where policies are more flexible. The US immigration system, particularly the employment-based green card process, has a massive backlog that disproportionately affects Indian families. As of March 2023, an estimated 1.34 lakh Indian children were expected to “age out” of their dependent status before their families could secure green cards. <\/p>\n
The backlog is so severe that some families face waits of 12 to 100 years for permanent residency. This has left many young Indians in limbo, unsure of their future in the country they call home. <\/p>\n
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced the registration period for H-1B visas for fiscal year 2026, opening on March 7 and closing on March 24. The H-1B visa, which allows US companies to hire foreign workers in specialized fields, has an annual cap of 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 reserved for those with US master\u2019s degrees. <\/p>\n
To address fraud, USCIS has introduced a beneficiary-centric selection process and increased the registration fee to $215. However, these changes offer little relief to Indian families stuck in the green card backlog. <\/p>\n
A recent Texas court ruling blocking work permits for new applicants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has further complicated matters. DACA provides temporary protection from deportation for undocumented youth, including those who lose dependent status after turning 21. Without this safety net, many Indian youth fear deportation or being forced to leave the US. <\/p>\n
US Senator Bernie Sanders has been a vocal critic of the H-1B program, arguing that it exploits foreign workers while displacing American jobs. “The main function of the H-1B program is not to hire ‘the best and the brightest’ but to replace good-paying American jobs with lower-paid guest workers,” Sanders said. <\/p>\n
He has proposed amendments to the Laken Riley Act, including doubling H-1B visa fees to fund scholarships for American students in STEM fields and raising wages for H-1B workers to match local median wages. While these measures aim to protect American workers, they could further strain Indian families relying on the H-1B system. <\/p>\n
For thousands of Indian youth in the US, there is no stable future. With limited options and an increasingly complicated immigration policies, many are left with no choice but to consider leaving the country they grew up in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thousands of young Indians in the United States are living in fear of “self-deportation” as they approach the age of 21. Under current US immigration laws, children of H-1B visa holders lose their dependent status once they turn 21, leaving them in a precarious situation. Previously, they had a two-year grace period to transition to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":198075,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[6797,1752],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n