ഹൂസ്റ്റൺ: വികസ്വര രാജ്യങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നുള്ള കുടിയേറ്റം തടയുമെന്ന ഡൊണാൾഡ് ട്രംപിന്റെ പ്രഖ്യാപനം അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ‘അമേരിക്ക ഫസ്റ്റ്’ നയത്തിന്റെ ഭാഗമാണ്. അനധികൃത കുടിയേറ്റം തടയുക, മെറിറ്റ് അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കിയുള്ള വിസ സമ്പ്രദായം കൊണ്ടുവരിക എന്നിവയാണ് ഇതിലൂടെ അദ്ദേഹം ലക്ഷ്യമിടുന്നത്. എന്നാൽ, ഇതൊരു പൂർണ്ണമായ നിരോധനമായി നടപ്പിലാക്കുക എന്നത് പ്രായോഗികമായും നിയമപരമായും വലിയ വെല്ലുവിളികൾ നിറഞ്ഞതാണ്. അമേരിക്കൻ തൊഴിൽ വിപണി, പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് സേവന മേഖലയും കാർഷിക മേഖലയും, കുടിയേറ്റ തൊഴിലാളികളെയാണ് കൂടുതലായി ആശ്രയിക്കുന്നത്. അതിനാൽ, ഈ പ്രഖ്യാപനം പൂർണ്ണമായി നടപ്പിലാക്കുന്നത് അമേരിക്കൻ സമ്പദ്‌വ്യവസ്ഥയെ തന്നെ പ്രതികൂലമായി ബാധിക്കാൻ സാധ്യതയുണ്ട്.

ഇത് പ്രധാനമായും ലക്ഷ്യമിടുന്നത് അനധികൃത കുടിയേറ്റക്കാരെയും അഭയാർത്ഥികളെയുമാണ്. മുൻപ് പ്രസിഡന്റായിരുന്നപ്പോൾ ചില പ്രത്യേക രാജ്യങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നുള്ളവർക്ക് യാത്രാവിലക്ക് ഏർപ്പെടുത്തിയതുപോലെ, എക്സിക്യൂട്ടീവ് ഓർഡറുകളിലൂടെ നിയന്ത്രണങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ടുവരാൻ ട്രംപിന് സാധിച്ചേക്കാം.

എന്നാൽ, നിലവിലുള്ള നിയമങ്ങൾ മാറ്റിയെഴുതാൻ യുഎസ് കോൺഗ്രസിന്റെ അനുമതി ആവശ്യമാണ്. മനുഷ്യാവകാശ സംഘടനകളിൽ നിന്നും കോടതികളിൽ നിന്നുമുള്ള നിയമപോരാട്ടങ്ങളും ഇത്തരം നീക്കങ്ങളെ മന്ദഗതിയിലാക്കിയേക്കാം. എങ്കിലും വിസ പരിശോധനകൾ കർശനമാക്കാനും ഗ്രീൻ കാർഡ് നടപടികൾ വൈകിപ്പിക്കാനും അദ്ദേഹത്തിന് സാധിക്കും.

ഇന്ത്യയെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം ഈ നീക്കം ഏറ്റവും കൂടുതൽ ബാധിക്കുക വിദഗ്ദ്ധ തൊഴിലാളികളെയും ഐടി മേഖലയെയുമാണ്. അമേരിക്കയിലെ എച്ച്-1ബി (H-1B) വിസകളുടെ വലിയൊരു പങ്കും ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നത് ഇന്ത്യൻ ടെക്കികളാണ്. ട്രംപ് ഭരണകൂടം എച്ച്-1ബി വിസകൾക്ക് കർശനമായ നിയന്ത്രണങ്ങൾ ഏർപ്പെടുത്താനോ, മിനിമം ശമ്പള പരിധി ഉയർത്താനോ സാധ്യതയുണ്ട്. ഇത് ഇന്ത്യൻ ഐടി കമ്പനികളുടെ ചെലവ് വർദ്ധിപ്പിക്കുകയും, പുതിയതായി ജോലി തേടുന്നവർക്ക് അവസരങ്ങൾ കുറയുകയും ചെയ്തേക്കാം.

മറ്റൊരു പ്രധാന വെല്ലുവിളി കുടുംബ അധിഷ്ഠിത കുടിയേറ്റത്തിലാണ് (Family-based immigration). അമേരിക്കയിൽ പൗരത്വമുള്ളവർക്ക് തങ്ങളുടെ കുടുംബാംഗങ്ങളെ സ്പോൺസർ ചെയ്ത് കൊണ്ടുവരുന്ന ‘ചെയിൻ മൈഗ്രേഷൻ’ (Chain Migration) അവസാനിപ്പിക്കുമെന്ന് ട്രംപ് പലപ്പോഴും പറഞ്ഞിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഇത് നടപ്പിലായാൽ, വർഷങ്ങളായി ഗ്രീൻ കാർഡിനായി കാത്തിരിക്കുന്ന ലക്ഷക്കണക്കിന് ഇന്ത്യക്കാർക്ക് അത് വലിയ തിരിച്ചടിയാകും.

കൂടാതെ, ഉപരിപഠനത്തിനായി അമേരിക്കയിലേക്ക് പോകുന്ന ഇന്ത്യൻ വിദ്യാർത്ഥികൾക്ക് പഠനശേഷം അവിടെ ജോലി കണ്ടെത്താനുള്ള അവസരങ്ങൾ (OPT) വെട്ടിച്ചുരുക്കപ്പെടാനും സാധ്യതയുണ്ട്. അനധികൃതമായി അമേരിക്കയിലേക്ക് കടക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്ന ഇന്ത്യക്കാരുടെ എണ്ണവും വർദ്ധിച്ചുവരുന്ന സാഹചര്യമാണിത്.

മെക്സിക്കോ, കാനഡ അതിർത്തികൾ വഴി എത്തുന്നവർക്കെതിരെ കർശന നടപടിയും നാടുകടത്തലും ഉണ്ടാകുമെന്ന് ട്രംപ് വ്യക്തമാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. നയതന്ത്ര തലത്തിൽ ഇന്ത്യയും അമേരിക്കയും തമ്മിൽ നല്ല ബന്ധമാണുള്ളതെങ്കിലും, കുടിയേറ്റ വിഷയത്തിൽ ട്രംപിന്റെ നിലപാടുകൾ വിട്ടുവീഴ്ചയില്ലാത്തതാണ്. ട്രംപിന്റെ നയങ്ങൾ മൂലം നിയമപരമായ കുടിയേറ്റം പൂർണ്ണമായി നിൽക്കില്ലെങ്കിലും, നടപടിക്രമങ്ങൾ കൂടുതൽ സങ്കീർണ്ണമാവുകയും അനധികൃത കുടിയേറ്റം കർശനമായി തടയപ്പെടുകയും ചെയ്യും എന്നതാണ് യാഥാർത്ഥ്യം.
Sources:azchavattomonline.com

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The Trump administration has proposed a new immigration policy likely to block many family-based immigrants from coming to America. The policy would label more family immigrants a “public charge,” allowing officials to prevent their entry. However, new research undermines the policy push, finding that a recent Federal Register notice ignores crucial empirical evidence: Individuals entering as family immigrants start with lower initial earnings but quickly adapt by trying new jobs and investing in skills and education that lead to rapid earnings growth. They are also unlikely to receive public assistance income.

Individuals who immigrate with family members or join them in the United States have been a central feature of immigration throughout American history. After Intel’s Andy Grove immigrated to America as a refugee following the Hungarian Revolution, he immediately pursued ways to sponsor his parents, who joined him in the United States. Years earlier, in 1885, a 16-year-old Friedrich Trump, Donald Trump’s grandfather, immigrated to America to join his sister Katherine, who “had immigrated to New York a year earlier,” according to Trump biographer Gwenda Blair.

In 1930, Mary Anne MacLeod immigrated to America from Scotland as an unskilled 18-year-old to live with her married sister in Queens. Six years later, she met Fred Trump at a party, they married and had children, one of whom was Donald Trump. “Donald Trump is a product of (family) ‘chain migration,’” according to Columbia University historian Mae M. Ngai.

Most family immigrants are the Immediate Relatives of U.S. citizens—the spouses, children (under 21) and parents of American citizens. There are also family preference categories, which include the siblings, married and unmarried children (21 or older) of U.S. citizens and the spouses, children (under 21) and unmarried adult children of lawful permanent residents (green card holders).

New Trump Administration Immigration Policies On Public Charge
The Trump administration has enacted or proposed measures that will result in lower levels of family immigration. The Department of Homeland Security published a far-reaching measure in the Federal Register on Nov. 19. DHS proposed rescinding the Biden administration’s public charge rule and replacing it, in its words, with a “broader discretion to evaluate all pertinent facts and align with long-standing policy that aliens in the United States should be self-reliant and government benefits should not incentivize immigration.” Despite the proposal, DHS does not cite any research or other evidence in the Federal Register notice showing the current public charge policy has resulted in allowing government benefits to “incentivize immigration.”

After accounting for tax revenue from capital income generated by an immigrant worker’s presence in the economy, George Mason University economics professor Michael Clemens found that an average recent immigrant without a high school degree has a lifetime positive net fiscal balance of $128,000. “Including the expected children and grandchildren of the average immigrant without a high school degree, the lifetime positive net fiscal effect is $326,000.” Clemens makes the logical assumption that companies would invest in computers, machines and office space when they hire immigrants. By pursuing profits, employers would pay more taxes to governments after hiring immigrants.

During Donald Trump’s first term, DHS proposed a public charge rule, which was blocked in court and later invalidated by Biden officials, that would have allowed officials to block many family immigrants, potentially reducing the number eligible to immigrate by hundreds of thousands a year. “If the new rescission proposal is finalized, DHS intends to implement a public charge policy that would be far broader than the frameworks established in both the current regulation and in a now-defunct DHS regulation from the first Trump administration,” according to the Fragomen law firm.

Under U.S. immigration law, an applicant for admission or adjustment of status is inadmissible if they are “likely at any time to become a public charge.” A consular officer or other official “shall at a minimum consider the alien’s age, health, family status, assets, resources, and financial status and education and skills.” Consular officers and officials “may also consider any affidavit of support.”

DHS concedes in the Federal Register notice that new immigrants are not eligible for federal means-tested public benefits for at least five years after entering the United States. (The rules differ for refugees and asylees.) DHS also notes that sponsors of family immigrants sign legally binding affidavits of support. If considered, the affidavits of support should mitigate concerns that individuals may become a public charge since sponsors can reimburse benefit costs.

DHS does not express or cite concern that removing a structured review of applicants detailed by regulation in favor of subjective determinations by consular officers and others will, based on previous estimates, result in hundreds of thousands of immigrants annually being denied entry. The proposed rule does not consider it a cost that the DHS action will prevent many Americans from living in the United States with a spouse, child or other close relative, which will be the primary impact of the new policy.

The Federal Register notice cannot detail any quantitative benefits from the new policy, stating “DHS anticipates this proposed rule will produce benefits but is limited to providing a qualitative analysis.” The “qualitative” benefits DHS anticipates will not go to Americans or the U.S. economy, but to government personnel who will not be “unnecessarily” limited in their “ability to make public charge inadmissibility determinations.”

In recent weeks, the State Department issued a notice to consular officers to direct them to deny visas to people with obesity, diabetes or other health issues if they could be considered potential public charges. “A diplomat who received last week’s cable, and also spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, said State Department leadership has been very active in finding new ways to deny foreigners entry into the U.S. or just slow down the system,” reported the Washington Post (November 13, 2025).

The administration issued a proclamation on June 4, 2025, banning the entry of persons issued immigrant visas at a consulate from 19 countries. The proclamation exempts the spouses, children and parents of U.S. citizens but contains no exception for immigrants in the family preference categories. Americans must meet a new standard to sponsor family members: “clear and convincing evidence of identity and family relationship (e.g., DNA),” according to the proclamation.

New Immigration Research Undermines A Key Premise Of New Public Charge Policies
New research indicates that the proposed public charge policy ignores crucial empirical evidence by assuming that family immigrants are static individuals who do not improve over time in the United States. “Real earnings increased by 76% over 12 years for immigrants from countries where family sponsorship is the primary method of immigrating to the United States,” according to a new National Foundation for American Policy analysis by economist Mark Regets, an NFAP senior fellow.

The significant gains by family immigrants compared with real earnings growth of only 23% for U.S.-born workers the same age during the same period, the analysis notes, indicating that family-based immigrants make significant economic progress and integrate into America. “The research also finds that family immigrants have lower rates of incarceration and use of public assistance income than U.S.-born individuals of the same age, and that they increase their educational attainment and English proficiency over time in America.”

“Even if someone starts out at a low income, a rapid increase in earnings makes it very likely they will be a net asset to the U.S. economy,” said Regets in an interview, pointing to a flaw in prospective public charge policies.

Family immigrants have higher labor force participation rates than comparable U.S.-born individuals and, on average, only 1.6% received public assistance income in 2021-2023. Haitians had a labor force participation rate of 90% (compared to 76.5% for U.S.-born individuals in the same age range) in 2021-23 and experienced earnings growth of 154% from 2009-11 to 2021-23.

“This study reinforces the importance of legal, family-based immigration and shows the critical economic contributions that immigrants bring to America,” said Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) in a statement. “By promoting family unity and reducing backlogs for legal immigration, the Dignity Act of 2025 (HR 4393) will help grow our economy, address the affordability crisis, and ensure our immigration policy continues to be a competitive advantage for the United States.”

The Immediate Relatives of U.S. citizens can enter the United States without numerical quotas, provided they pass appropriate background checks. The family preference categories are subject to numerical and per-country quotas, resulting in long wait times for individuals from several countries. There were approximately 3.8 million people on the family-sponsored preference waiting list as of November 2023, according to the State Department. As of November 2025, only applicants whose sponsors filed before July 2001 were eligible to enter from Mexico as the married son or daughter of a U.S. citizen. Only applicants who filed before January 2008 were eligible to enter from the Philippines as the sibling of a U.S. citizen.

The Dignity Act, introduced by Rep. Salazar, contains a provision for individuals “who are beneficiaries (including derivative beneficiaries) of an approved immigrant visa petition bearing a priority date that is more than 10 years before the alien submits an application for an immigrant visa or for adjustment of status; and who deposit a premium processing fee of $20,000 into the [newly established] Immigration Infrastructure and Debt Reduction Fund.” That would help people immigrate who have been waiting a decade or longer in immigrant backlogs, including employment-based immigrants.

In conducting the research, Regets analyzed American Community Survey data and identified countries whose family admissions accounted for 75% or more of their legal immigration to the United States between 2005 and 2009. He notes that the methodology could underestimate characteristics, such as earnings and educational levels, by excluding countries like India that have substantial flows of individuals entering through employment-based immigrant categories and high levels of education among siblings and others.

The performance of family immigrants is consistent with the Immigrant Human Capital Investment model of rapid earnings growth and their general situation in the United States, as proposed by Regets and Harriet Duleep in 1999, according to the analysis.

After arriving via family immigration, immigrants adapt by trying new jobs, getting new degrees and improving their English. “Immigrants who do not come to America to fill specific jobs often start with lower earnings but experience rapid earnings growth as they adapt and increase their skills to meet the needs of the U.S. labor market,” according to Regets. “Their adaptability creates dynamism in the U.S. economy and benefits American consumers and employers by filling niches in the U.S. labor market.”

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