Will Indians be affected by Trump admin's new green card crackdown? What we know
USCIS director Joseph Edlow said that he has directed a ‘full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern’.
In the wake of the shooting of two National Guard service members by an Afghan national near the White House, the Trump administration has said it will conduct a “rigorous” re-examination of all Green Cards issued to immigrants from “every country of concern”.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow stated that he has directed a "full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern" at the request of US President Donald Trump.
“At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” Edlow said in a post on X.
He added that the protection of America and its people remains paramount and blamed the previous Joe Biden administration for having “reckless resettlement policies”.
“The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies. American safety is non-negotiable,” he added.
Also Read | 'Will end all...': Donald Trump's big move after Afghan national kills 2 National Guards
Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal opened fire at two National Guards on Wednesday near the White House in Washington, DC.
US Army specialist Sarah Beckstrom (20) died after being shot, while US Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe (24) remains in critical condition.
Lakanwal entered the US in 2021 as part of a program from Joe Biden's administration that evacuated and resettled thousands of Afghans following the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan. His asylum was approved after Trump became president.
Will Indians be affected by the new green card crackdown?
No. Indians residing in the United States will not be affected by this crackdown on green card holders.
The new policy guidance will enable USCIS officials to consider country-specific factors from 19 designated ‘high-risk countries’ during the review of immigration requests.
These countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Burundi, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Yemen.
These are the same countries that Trump announced a travel ban on in a proclamation issued in June this year, according to PTI.
USCIS, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, stated in the announcement that the policy guidance takes effect immediately and applies to requests pending or filed on or after November 27.
The US government issues Green Cards, also known as Permanent Residence Cards, which grant holders legal resident status. This status provides a pathway to US citizenship after a set period (typically three to five years) and allows the individual to reside and work in the country indefinitely.
