Friday, March 29, 2024
ADVT 
International

Donald Trump To Propose Merit-Based Immigration System

Darpan News Desk IANS, 16 May, 2019 08:38 PM

    In a major policy speech on Thursday, US President Donald Trump is all set to announce a new proposal to overhaul the country’s immigration policy that would give preference to foreigners based on merit rather than the existing system that gives preference to family ties, a move that could end the agonising Green Card wait for hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals.


    Brainchild of Trump’s son-in-law, Jarred Kushner, the new plan primarily focuses on strengthening border security and revamping the system of Green Card or legal permanent residency so that people with merit, higher degrees and professional qualifications could get an easy access to the immigration system.


    As of now, about 66 per cent of the green cards are given to those with family ties and only 12 per cent are based on skills. The Trump Administration intends to change this. Trump is scheduled to roll out his plan at the Rose Garden of the White House on Thursday afternoon.


    However, the plan faces an uphill task mainly because of the bitterly divided Congress on partisan lines, especially on the issue of immigration reform.


    Even if Trump succeeds in convincing his Republican lawmakers on this, the opposition Democrats, led by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, are dead against any such legislative success to the president.


    The Trump Administration is well aware of the issue. It is planning to make it an election issue in 2020 if the opposition Democrats are unwilling to be engaged on this, a senior administration official told reporters during an interaction on the eve of the rollout of the merit-based immigration policy.


    “It is going to be a very detailed piece of legislation and it can be what they want it to be. If they do not want to engage, then it will be part of the election. If they want to engage, then it could be part of a negotiation. That is going to be up to them,” said the official who requested anonymity.


    Both Trump and Kushner are believed to have briefed Republican lawmakers on the issue.


    In his speech, Trump is unlikely to propose changes in the existing number--1.1 million--of green cards issued each year. Instead, the new policy calls for issuing more than half of the green cards to those based on employment or skills.


    Such a move is likely to benefit hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals on H-1B visa whose current Green Card wait, on an average, is more than a decade.


    According to the details given by the senior administration official, the proposed system mirrors the point-based system of countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.


    Officials said the plan would favour those immigrants who are exceptional students, those with “extraordinary talent” and people who work in professional and specialised vocations.


    The applicants would receive points for age, English proficiency and offers of employment at a certain wage threshold in order to protect low-wage American workers, the official said.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian Woman Suffering From Rare Disease Fights Deportation From UK

    A 31-year-old Indian woman has been threatened with deportation by UK Home Office officials despite being in a coma after having a major operation.

    Indian Woman Suffering From Rare Disease Fights Deportation From UK

    Indian Woman Dies After Hip Replacement Surgery In Dubai

    An Indian woman chef has died in Dubai due to complications allegedly arising after a hip replacement surgery at a private hospital in Dubai, according to media reports.    

    Indian Woman Dies After Hip Replacement Surgery In Dubai

    China Dreaming That Sleepy Joe Biden Gets Elected In 2020: Trump

    China Dreaming That Sleepy Joe Biden Gets Elected In 2020: Trump
    After the near collapse of trade talks with China last week, Mr Trump on Friday imposed a hefty duty on import of Chinese products from 10 per cent to 25 per cent worth more than USD 200 billion and asking for a similar increase on tariff on the rest of the Chinese import of over USD 300 billion.  

    China Dreaming That Sleepy Joe Biden Gets Elected In 2020: Trump

    Pakistan Says It Will Review Re-Opening Airspace For Indian Flights

    Pakistan Says It Will Review Re-Opening Airspace For Indian Flights
    Pakistan fully closed its airspace after an Indian Air Force strike on a terror camp in Balakot on February 26. However, Pakistan on March 27, opened its airspace for all flights except for New Delhi, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.  

    Pakistan Says It Will Review Re-Opening Airspace For Indian Flights

    Cong Let Kartarpur Sahib Go To Pak: PM Modi

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday criticised the Congress for its “historic blunder” that let Kartarpur Sahib, the final resting place of Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak, go to Pakistan during Partition.

    Cong Let Kartarpur Sahib Go To Pak: PM Modi

    UK Police Launch Murder Investigation Into Indian-Origin Man's Stabbing

    UK Police Launch Murder Investigation Into Indian-Origin Man's Stabbing
    UK police has launched a murder investigation after an Indian-origin man was found stabbed in a supermarket car park near London.

    UK Police Launch Murder Investigation Into Indian-Origin Man's Stabbing