New US norms for Green Cards unlikely to impact Indians

New York : The new US regulations restricting those unable to support themselves financially from getting permanent residence status is unlikely to have a major impact on Indian immigrants.

The regulations announced on Monday targets those who rely on government assistance programmes like subsidised housing or food or have used the health insurance for the poor, making them ineligible for Green Cards or permanent residency.

It immediately set off criticism that it will drastically reduce immigration to the US and target the poor.

Kenneth Cuccinelli, the acting Director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, countered that the changes would ensure that people who came to the US were not a drain on tax-payers and were self-sufficient.

As a result of the policy, "the benefit to taxpayers is a long-term benefit of seeking to ensure that our immigration system is bringing people to join us as American citizens, as legal permanent residents first, who can stand on their own two feet, who will not be reliant on the welfare system", he said.

A large proportion of immigrants from India are professional or relatives of professionals and the community as a whole is the highest-earning group with a median annual household income of over $110,000, according to the US census bureau. In contrast, the median income for all groups was $61,000.