TRUMP'S VISA MOVE OPPOSED

Several US lawmakers have opposed the Trump administration’s proposal to stop extensions for H-1B visa holders beyond the stipulated maximum period of six years.

Several US lawmakers have come out in opposition to the Trump administration’s proposal to stop extensions for H-1B visa holders beyond the stipulated maximum period of six years, a move that will likely lead to the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Indians waiting for their green card.

“Imposing these draconian restrictions on H-1B visa holders will tear families apart, drain our society of talent and expertise, and damage our relationship with an important partner, India,” Tulsi Gabbard, the co-chair of the Congressional India Caucus and the first Hindu elected to the US Congress, said in a statement to the Hindu American Foundation, an advocacy group .

“This proposal could lead to the deportation of an estimated 500,000 to 750,000 Indian H-1B visa holders. This brain drain will stifle innovation and decrease our ability to compete in the global 21st century economy,” the Democratic Congresswoman said.

Temporary non-immigrant H-1B visas are initially granted for three years, with the possibility of an additional three years on extension. At the end of six years, the visa-holder goes back to the country of origin. Furthers extensions are granted in lots of one to three years only to those whose application for green card has been accepted for processing.

The US grants 85,000 H1-B visas every year — 65,000 to foreigners hired abroad and 20,000 from foreigners enrolled in advanced studies in the US. An estimated 70% of the visas go to Indians.