Lagatar24 Desk
Washington, D.C.: The plight of children from legal immigrant families, especially Indian Americans, is drawing significant attention as many face the looming threat of deportation upon turning 21. This issue, known as “aging out,” affects approximately 250,000 children who could be forced to leave the U.S., despite having lived there for most of their lives.
On June 13, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, spearheaded by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Representative Deborah Ross (D-NC), took action by sending a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and USCIS Director Ur Jaddou. The letter, signed by 43 legislators, urged the Biden administration to implement measures to prevent the deportation of these young immigrants as they age out of their dependent status.
Current immigration laws mandate that children must leave the U.S. if their parents have not secured permanent residency by the time they turn 21. According to the National Foundation for American Policy, over one million Indians, including dependents, are awaiting employment-based immigrant visas.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the issue, lamenting the rejection of bipartisan efforts to aid these “documented Dreamers.” “Despite a negotiated process in the Senate, Republicans voted it down twice,” she said.
Amid this backdrop, the personal stories of those affected highlight the emotional and practical difficulties. Dwarkesh Patel, an India-born podcaster, shared his experience on X (formerly Twitter), describing the anxiety his family faced. Patel’s family moved to the U.S. when he was 8, but his father, on an H1B visa, had yet to secure a green card by the time Patel turned 21. “I was on the brink of aging out, despite having grown up here,” Patel said.
Patel recounted the uncertainty of the H-1B lottery system and the frustration of watching his father’s green card application process stretch over nine years. “It felt like an impossible dream,” he noted. Fortunately, due to COVID-19 travel restrictions clearing backlogs, Patel received his green card just before he would have aged out.
Patel criticized the current system for causing undue stress and hardship on children of skilled immigrants. “It’s unconscionable that we put these kids through such anxiety and repeat the challenges their parents faced,” he concluded.
Dip Patel, founder of the advocacy group Improve The Dream, called for immediate action. “Despite available tools for relief, this population has been neglected. Congress needs to pass the bipartisan America’s Children Act, and the administration must prioritize this issue, which has broad bipartisan support and clear economic benefits,” he told PTI.
