Photo Credit: Change.org Petition linked in the post.
The petition is being reproduced below but it ignores an important factor. The backlog impacts only Indians as the racist laws have made only Indians the target of a “waiting period”. Indian doctors and students who might be trapped by American government must educate themselves before coming to USA.
Thousands of high skilled immigrants’ doctors, scientists, tech workers patiently waiting for decades for their turn to get a green card in the United States. The misery of high-skilled immigrants in the green card backlog has been largely ignored by US congress. Currently, the biggest challenge humanity facing is the COVID-19 pandemic. Among high-skilled immigrants in the green card backlog, there are around twenty thousand frontline healthcare workers serving on the frontline during the pandemic. Pandemic has been brutal to the frontline healthcare workers and their families; many lost their lives. On top of the COVID-19 crisis, frontline healthcare workers have to face an inhumane green card backlog. These immigrant doctors and nurses have been fighting to save American lives, living in the US for decades, paying taxes, contributing to the economy but they have no right to participate in any kind of democratic process. These are not just workers, these are human beings, one wants to be a meaningful part of society but how do you contribute meaningfully if you do not have the right to vote.
There are consequences to lifelong wait for a green card. This is a matter of dignity to so many of us. The biggest of tragedies it creates is humanitarian. We have been serving in this pandemic to the sickest of Americans with COVID 19. Working in COVID-19 intensive care units or in the hospital wards day and night is no less than working in a warzone. You do everything in your capacity to save lives. Many died in the hospital without the family being at their side. We were with them as a physician/nurse and as a family. At the beginning of the pandemic when we did not know much about the virus, intubating a COVID-19 patient was considered suicidal but our hands didn’t shake because we were determined to help our patients. We didn’t back off due to a lack of PPEs. We spent days and nights inside patient rooms discussing the disease and many times performing lifesaving procedures. Without even thinking about our temporary visa situation, knowing that if we become sick or die our family will get deported.
Dependent spouse and kids living in the USA for decades but can not work.
Kids get deported to their parent’s home country when turn 21.
Many could not travel home country even for parents funeral, due to fear of visa rejection or being stranded.
Cant change jobs due to fear of losing a spot in the green card line.
Our problems care countless….
What is the fix for this issue? Easy common-sense measures that President Biden can take today:
There is an easy fix for this huge problem. President Biden can direct USCIS to end the green card backlog for frontline healthcare workers by allowing them to utilize the unused green cards in the past years. Other countries like France have already rewarded citizenship to frontline healthcare workers.
Frontline Healthcare Workers in Green Card Backlog
