US President Donald Trump. (Reuters)
Digital Desk, New Delhi. US President Donald Trump has suspended the Green Card Lottery Program after the shooting incidents at Brown University and MIT. Under this program, 50,000 permanent residence permits are granted every year to citizens of countries underrepresented in the US.
The Green Card Lottery Program is designed for citizens of countries whose citizens immigrate to the US in small numbers. Citizens of countries that have sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the US in the last five fiscal years are not allowed to participate in this program. Countries like India, China, Mexico and Philippines are not eligible for this program.
What will be the impact on Indians?
The suspension of the Green Card Lottery Program is not a big blow for Indian citizens, as they are not already eligible for the program. Indian citizens have migrated to the US in large numbers over the past few years, making them ineligible for the program. 93,450 Indians immigrated to the US in 2021, increasing to 127,010 in 2022. That number stood at 78,070 in 2023, which is still above the threshold for ineligibility for the program.
What options do Indians have?
Indian citizens can now consider other options, such as employer-sponsored visa, family-based sponsorship, investment route or refugee status. However, these options also face uncertainty due to the Trump administration's strict immigration policies.