The Trump administration’s temporary freeze on certain Green Card applications is raising alarm among Indian tech professionals, who fear the move signals a wider clampdown on legal immigration.
While the suspension directly affects refugees and asylees, Indian workers on H-1B visas say the policy reflects the administration’s continuing hostility toward high-skilled migrants. The Department of Homeland Security has cited the need for “additional screening,” but legal experts and advocacy groups argue the freeze is part of a broader effort to restrict lawful migration channels.
“This latest crackdown could mean years of delays and instability,” one immigration attorney said, noting that Indian nationals comprise a significant portion of asylum seekers and employment-based visa holders in the U.S.
Though the freeze doesn’t impact employment-based Green Card processing directly, Indian techies say the message is clear: the administration’s long-standing scepticism of legal migration is hardening further. The government has already imposed tougher eligibility criteria for H-1B visas and introduced sweeping changes to asylum rules under the guise of national security.
Many workers depend on seamless visa transitions and processing windows to maintain employment status. Uncertainty over future policy moves is fueling anxiety in the Indian tech community, particularly among those who have spent years working in the U.S. while awaiting permanent residency.
“Family reunifications are now indefinitely delayed, and people are worried about their legal standing if policies continue to shift,” said another immigration adviser. “There’s also concern about the growing scrutiny of Indian student activists and foreign scholars.”
Recent reports of visa denials and deportation threats have only added to those concerns, suggesting the administration’s enforcement priorities could soon expand beyond asylum seekers to include other legal migrants.
With no timeline for when the freeze might lift, Indian professionals say the uncertainty is becoming unsustainable. Legal challenges may be filed in the coming weeks, but for now, many face stalled career prospects and growing fears that the promise of long-term stability in the U.S. is slipping out of reach.