President Joe Biden was off the block on his inaugural day setting out a new course for the United States and reversing some of the controversial policy decisions of a turbulent Donald Trump era.
While India watched the swearing-in of Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris with high expectations, there was a relief on the cards. In the series of executive orders signed by the new president, the new immigration reform package is set to open new vistas for the Indian diaspora. Undocumented immigrants would be given an eight-year path to citizenship if they pass muster. The bill sent to the Congress seeks to clear employment-based green card backlogs and recapture unused green cards besides eliminating visa caps for countries.
Among the green card backlog, Indians account for 7.41 lakh as of April 2020. The decision to eliminate visa caps will give a ray of hope for many Indian families which are on wait-list.
A significant turnaround here is that dependents of H-1B visa holders will get work authorization instead of the current rule which calls for deporting them once they attain the age of 21 years. The bill will also give an option for immigrant students passing out of US universities to stay in the country.
Biden has set his priorities on Day-1. Besides the historic decision to change immigration laws, the president has decided to rejoin WHO in a bid to tackle the current health crisis; announced rejoining the Paris Agreement by cancelling the Keystone pipeline and sought to end restrictions on travel and immigration on some predominantly Muslim countries.
India, however, has more to look out for. While New Delhi will seek to continue its ties with the US as a key strategic partner, the Narendra Modi government will keep a close watch on how Biden moves with China and Pacific nations. Secondly, and importantly, all eyes will be on how Biden treats Pakistan.
It is still early days, and India will have to hold its patience to see how US foreign policy unfolds. For now, New Delhi can find comfort in the fact that Biden has nominated 20 Indian-Americans, including 13 women, to key positions in his administration. It is for the first time that so many Indian-Americans have found a place in the administration. Also, Kamala Harris is the first-ever Indian-origin female to be sworn-in as the Vice President of the United States.
Biden has set the tone, and the urgency with which he has begun office shows that he wants to make a strong statement, in sharp contrast to the Trump administration’s brutality against immigrants and Muslims. The new president has stressed a desire to restore the US standing in the world. The focus is visible as Biden goes about his job. However, the road ahead is not going to be easy, and the ambitious Immigration bill along with other proposals cannot fructify with only Republican support. Biden has made an overwhelming start, it's to be seen how he takes this forward.
