Diaspora body seeks immigration relief for green card applicants’ families

FIIDS launches petition to extend immigration relief to documented Dreamers stuck in Green Card backlog

The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) has urged the Biden administration to include documented dreamers (children of long-term visa holders) and spouses of backlogged green card applicants in his new immigration policy.

FIIDS USA highlighted that Biden’s new immigration policy excludes hundreds of thousands of spouses of legal, tax-paying, contributing immigrants who are stuck in long green card waitlists due to the 7% country-wise quota.

“Their US-educated children are becoming out of status at 21,” FIIDS stated. “They too have dreams; they are dreamers too. Just because they are legal, they shouldn’t be excluded from such measures.”

The Indian American organization urged President Biden to extend support to spouses of documented immigrants on H-1B visas who are facing green card backlogs for more than 10 years. It advocated for these spouses to receive work permits (EAD) independently and be allowed to apply for a separate green card, independent of their spouse’s employment-based green card status.

Additionally, FIIDS requested that children of these backlogged green card applicants be granted immediate EAD based on their education qualifications. These measures, FIIDS argued, would help keep families together and enable them to contribute fully to the US economy.

FIIDS also started a petition in this regard: “Support Change Petition to @POTUS Pres. Biden: Request to Extend EAD/GC Immigration Relief to Documented Dreamers Stuck in GC Backlog.”

READ: 1.2 million Indian professionals stuck in green card backlog: Report (April 15, 2024)

On June 18, President Biden announced that undocumented spouses of US citizens residing in the US for 10 or more years can apply for expedited citizenship, the petition noted. Additionally, undocumented children with college education will be eligible for immediate work visas and future legal residency.

“We recognize President Biden’s commitment to keeping American families together and his intentions to promote family unity and strengthen the economy,” the petition stated.

“On this important initiative, we regretfully bring to attention that this announcement missed an opportunity to include hundreds of thousands of spouses of legal, tax-paying, contributing immigrants who are stuck in long green card waits due to the 7% country-wise quota,’ it stated.

“Their US-educated children are becoming out of status at 21. They too have dreams; they are dreamers too. Just because they are legal, they shouldn’t be excluded from such measures. We respectfully request extending this compassionate offer to consider families of documented immigrants who are waiting for green card (backlogs)” the petition stated.

The petition specifically sought three benefits:

1. Enable EAD to their children upon college degree or completion of age 21, whichever earlier.

2. Enable spouses of backlogged immigrants waiting for 10+ years to obtain EAD if they don’t have

3. Enable them to file green card independent of the employment-based green card application of their spouses, so that they won’t be blocked by their spouses GC which is blocked by 7% country wise quote for employment-based GC.