Trump seeks vote for immigration reform to end Green Card wait for migrants

President Donald Trump today asked US lawmakers to vote for an immigration bill which among other things would end the agonising green card wait for Indian Americans and promote immigration that would enable a much smoother and faster process for legal migration of qualified professionals from countries like India.

Trump's open call to US lawmakers came hours before the House of Representatives was scheduled to vote on the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act which is also known as the Goodlatte Bill as it was introduced by Republican Congressman Bob Goodlatte from Virginia.

“House Republicans should pass the strong but fair immigration Bill, known as Goodlatte II, in their afternoon vote on Wednesday, even though the dems won’t let it pass in the senate,” Trump said in an unusual all caps tweet.

“Passage will show that we want strong borders & security while the dems want open borders = crime. Win!” said the president in his open support to the bill which has been introduced by Goodlatte, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Carlos Curbelo, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, and Congressman Jeff Denham.

The Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018 (HR 6136) establishes a new, merit-based green card programme – without increasing legal immigration – based on applicants earning points for skills, education, vocational training, work experience, English language proficiency, and military service, according to Goodlatte.

More points are awarded for each achievement. Once applicants meet the threshold number of points for eligibility, they will qualify for a green card, although those with the highest points each year will earn their green cards more quickly.

Those eligible for this include children of E1, E2, H1B, and L workers who were brought by their parents lawfully into the US as minors and have been continuously in the US for 10 years before the date of enactment and any individual granted a “contingent nonimmigrant status” due to DACA eligibility may apply.

Importantly, the bill also requires the border wall to be funded before new visas are available under the new merit-based programme. This means that there could be increased cost for getting a Green Card or permanent legal residency in the US.