Seeking to win the confidence of Indian-American voters, Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s campaign said on Saturday, 15 August, that his administration will work on bringing changes to the H-1B visa system and will eliminate the country-quota for Green Cards, should he win the US Presidential elections in November 2020.
Unveiled strategically on India’s 74th Independence Day, the policy document shared by the Biden campaign also stresses on the importance of family-based immigration and the need to streamline the visa-application process for religious workers.
“He will support first reforming the temporary visa system for high-skill, specialty jobs to protect wages and workers, then expanding the number of visas offered and eliminating the limits on employment-based Green Cards by country, which have kept so many Indian families in waiting for too long.”Statement from the Biden Campaign
In what may come as music to the ears of Indian students, the campaign added that if voted to the White House, the Biden administration will “exempt from any cap recent graduates of PhD programmes in STEM fields.”
Apart from taking measures to arrest rising hate and bigotry and ensuring the safety of places of worship, the administration will focus on overcoming language barriers and honour the contributions made by Indian Americans.
‘Will Rescind Trump’s Muslim Ban on Day One’
Apart from bringing back the naturalisation process for those holding green cards, the campaign also said that the Biden administration, if elected, will set 1,25,000 as the annual global refugee admissions target and even increase it over time.
This apart, his administration will also work with the Congress to ensure that a minimum of 95,000 refugees get admission into the US.
Accusing President Trump of launching an ‘unrelenting assault’ on America’s values and its immigrant-rich history, the Biden Campaign said that his administration would rescind Trump’s Muslim ban on day one.
“Biden will rescind Trump’s Muslim ban on day one and reverse the detrimental asylum policies that are causing chaos and a humanitarian crisis at our border.”Statement from the Biden Campaign
Further, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Jains and other Indian Americans who have been subjected bullying and xenophobic attacks will now have reassurance of leaders in Washington, the statement said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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