Good News For Indian Techies? Trump Backs Merit-Based Immigration Laws, Praises Contributions Of Legal Immigrants 

US President Donald Trump today (6 February 2019) reiterated his stance in favour of merit-based immigration to the country, praising such immigrants for enriching America in many ways, reports Business Standard.

Trump’s remarks, which were made at his annual State of the Union address, may raise hopes of countless Indian IT professionals who are presently put at a major disadvantage due to the existing per country quota system.

Trump stated that there was a moral duty to establish an immigration system which would safeguard the lives and jobs of American citizens.

“This (moral duty) includes our obligation to the millions of immigrants living here today, who followed the rules and respected our laws. Legal immigrants enrich our nation and strengthen our society in countless ways. I want people to come into our country, but they have to come in legally,” Trump told lawmakers at a joint sitting of the US Congress.

Trump’s comments may be seen as a sign of more favourable immigration regulations for Indians. Currently, Indian nationals suffer hugely from rules which put a country cap of seven per cent for the grant of green cards or permanent residency. In the present system, an Indian could have to wait as many as 70 years to receive a green card.

The president also took the opportunity to slam illegal immigration from the southern border with Mexico. Trump stated that a ‘common sense proposal’ had been given to Congress to solve the menace emanating from the unsecured southern border.

“It includes humanitarian assistance, more law enforcement, drug detection at our ports, closing loopholes that enable child smuggling, and plans for a new physical barrier, or wall, to secure the vast areas between our ports of entry,” he stated.