The Trump administration has temporarily stopped processing Green Cards for certain individuals, including approved refugees, as part of its stricter immigration policies. According to a CBS News report, this suspension affects immigrants who have already been granted asylum or refugee status and are waiting for legal permanent residency. This decision could have significant consequences for some Indians.

In 2023, more than 51,000 Indian nationals applied for asylum in the US, marking a significant rise compared to previous years. This was the highest number of asylum requests recorded during the period. According to research by Johns Hopkins University, the number of Indians seeking asylum in the US increased from 9,000 in 2018 to 51,000 in 2023—a 466% rise over five years. Indians have been applying for asylum in the U.S. because the American immigration system allows illegal immigrants caught at the border to request asylum if they fear persecution in their home country. These asylum seekers, including Indians, enter the U.S. and go through a lengthy process that involves security checks, medical screenings, and interviews. Their asylum status is granted by either asylum officers or immigration judges.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that even Green Card holders, including Indians, are facing difficulties with American officials. The Trump administration has taken several actions against asylum and refugee programs. It has challenged programs approved by Congress, paused the refugee admission process, and shut down the asylum system at the US-Mexico border through executive orders issued after Trump became President on January 20. These orders are now being contested in court. For instance, on March 28, a federal judge temporarily stopped the administration from deporting people to third countries without first ensuring their safety. The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the pause on Green Cards followed two executive orders issued by President Trump. One of these orders also raised concerns about how immigration vetting was handled during the Biden administration.

"USCIS is placing a temporary pause in finalising certain Adjustment of Status applications pending the completion of additional screening and vetting to identify potential fraud, public safety, or national security concerns, in alignment” with Trump's orders," said the DHS.

According to the officials, Trump directed federal agencies to "vet and screen to the maximum degree possible all aliens who intend to be admitted, enter, or are already inside the United States" as part of the instructions.

Another executive order being referenced has resulted in the State Department labelling Mexican cartels and gangs, such as Tren de Aragua, as foreign terrorist organisations. In February, the Trump administration temporarily halted immigration applications from all Latin Americans and Ukrainians who had entered the U.S. through Biden-era programs, citing concerns about fraud. 

According to the administration, social media accounts of immigrants seeking refuge, Green Cards, and citizenship will henceforth be closely examined. "Enhanced identity verification, vetting, and national security screening" is the reason for the social media accounts, it said. There have been cases of students, including Indians, facing deportation or leaving the U.S. on their own due to their involvement in campus protests. Columbia University student Ranjani Srinivasan chose to move to Canada, while a judge has temporarily stopped the deportation of Indian researcher Badar Khan Suri, who was linked to Hamas. Regarding the decision to pause Green Cards for asylum seekers, Laura Collins, director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, told NBC News that these individuals have already been through a screening process before entering the country. "There’s a certain amount of documentation you have to provide as a refugee as well as an asylee. All of these people who are approved for resettlement or to remain in the United States, that’s because the United States government have already approved them to be here," said Collins.

After completing the vetting process, an asylee must wait for one year before they can apply for a Green Card and become a permanent resident of the U.S. Pausing Green Cards for asylum seekers would increase the waiting time for genuine refugees. At the same time, it would also extend the vetting process for those who falsely claim persecution to gain U.S. citizenship. This decision could affect many Indians as well.