In the future, children born in the United States to parents who are neither U.S. nationals nor permanent residents may face the risk of losing automatic citizenship if Donald Trump, the incoming President, signs a proposed executive order. A draft of this executive order has been posted on the official campaign website of Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.

It reads, “Federal agencies will be directed to require that at least one parent be a US citizen or lawful permanent resident for their future children to become automatic US citizens.”

The plan is to sign the executive order on Day 1, stipulating that for a child to qualify for automatic citizenship, at least one parent must hold permanent residency (a green card). However, research by David J. Bier, Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute, reveals that the employment-based green card backlog for skilled workers from India (EB-2 and EB-3 categories) surpassed one million in March 2023. Factoring in attrition through death or ageing out, the wait time for a green card is estimated at 54 years, and without these factors, it extends to an astonishing 134 years.

This backlog means that over 400,000 Indians in these categories may pass away before receiving their green cards. Additionally, more than 100,000 children from Indian families will "age out" when they turn 21.

Currently, children born outside the U.S. to families stuck in the green card backlog must self-deport at age 21 or secure an alternative visa, such as an international student visa.

According to the 2022 U.S. Census, the country is home to approximately 4.8 million Indian-Americans, of whom 34%, or 1.6 million, were born in the U.S.