Elon Musk Criticizes US Green Card Legislation as Racist
Elon Musk recently criticized the US legislation imposing country limits on employment-based green cards, referring to it as “racist.” These restrictions, established in the 1960s, remain unchanged to this day.
Understanding Per-Country Caps
Per-country caps refer to limitations on the number of green cards allocated to individuals from specific countries. Each year, around 140,000 employment-based green cards are available, but only up to seven percent of these can be awarded to applicants from any single country. When the number of sponsored individuals from a particular country exceeds this threshold, it results in a backlog.
Impact on Immigrants from India and China
Significant delays have primarily affected immigrants from India and China due to these country-specific caps. Currently, more than a million individuals, including dependent spouses and children, are awaiting employment-based green cards in the United States because of these backlogs.
In a recent post, Musk commented on the situation, stating, “Every month DoS shamelessly publishes cut off dates that separate Chinese and Indian born from Rest of the World,” and added, “Yup, super racist.”
Public Response
Many users supported Musk’s stance, highlighting the deep-rooted racism in society. Some expressed frustration over the delays in the immigration process, with one user sharing their experience of having to leave the US during the pandemic due to delays in green card approval.
One user questioned the prevalence of racism globally, while another criticized the strict immigration laws juxtaposed with lax border control. The long wait times for Indians to obtain legal status in America were also highlighted by users.
