The United States’ latest green card policy, which requires many legal immigrants to apply for permanent residency from outside the country, has triggered criticism from technology leaders and Indian-origin entrepreneurs, with several warning that the move could hurt innovation, talent mobility and immigrant families.
The new policy, issued by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), says adjustment of status applications for green cards inside the US are discretionary and should not replace regular consular processing abroad. The move could force many legal immigrants already living in the US, including H-1B workers, students, researchers and professionals, to leave the country and apply for permanent residency from overseas.
The development has drawn reactions from artificial intelligence leaders, startup founders and Indian business executives, many of whom linked the policy to America’s competitiveness in technology and innovation.
Andrew Ng calls policy ‘attack on legal immigration’
AI researcher and entrepreneur Andrew Ng criticised the policy in a social media post, saying it would weaken America’s position in artificial intelligence and science.
Also Read: Want a green card? You may have to leave the US first
“The new White House policy requiring green card applicants to apply from outside the US is a capricious attack on legal immigration. It will hurt families, leave us with fewer doctors, teachers and scientists, and hurt American competitiveness in AI,” Ng wrote.
