As of March 2023, nearly 1.34 lakh Indian children were expected to age out of dependent visa status before their families got green cards.
The backlog in the US employment-based green card system disproportionately impacts Indian immigrants, with waiting periods spanning 12-100 years.
The matter is further complicated by a federal appeals court declaring the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program unlawful.
The program had earlier provided temporary two-year protection from deportation for undocumented youth.