Trump administration warns Green Card and H-1B holders against leaving the US. What it means for Indian professionals
ByTuhin Das Mahapatra
Mar 21, 2025 08:30 AM IST
Under Trump's administration, immigration enforcement has intensified, impacting green card and H-1B visa holders, particularly during international travel.
Under US President Donald Trump’s government, immigration enforcement has been reinforced, affecting green card holders and H-1B visa holders, especially if they travel abroad. Now, the question is, what omen does it carry for the Indian community across the Atlantic?
The Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, affecting green card and H-1B visa holders. (Representational image)
The Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement, affecting green card and H-1B visa holders. (Representational image)
New York City-based attorney Naresh Gehi told Newsweek, “The administration is taking the law in their own hands with blatant disregard to the judiciary of the nation.” He also noted that many Indian professionals with green cards have reported being questioned more frequently.
Immigration attorneys have howled that lawful immigrants are being subjected to better scrutiny and pressure at ports of entry. The administration has relied on ensuring adherence to existing immigration laws on account of national security and border control.
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“The Trump administration is enforcing immigration laws—something the previous administration failed to do,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin of the Department of Homeland Security told Newsweek. “Those who violate these laws will be processed, detained, and removed as required.”
Earlier, Vice President JD Vance said during a Fox News interview that “A green card holder doesn't have an indefinite right to be in the United States.”
Green Card holders face heightened scrutiny at US airports
This has led to increased inspections at airports and border checkpoints, with some green card holders reporting being detained and questioned upon reentry. Legal experts advise permanent residents against spending more than 180 days outside the US, as it may subject them to scrutiny upon their return.
Last year, there was a case that received attention when Fabian Schmidt, a green card holder from New Hampshire, did not like the treatment he received at Logan Airport upon returning from Luxembourg. He was said to have been subject to an aggressive interrogation and pressured to surrender his status.
Hilton Beckham, Assistant Commissioner of Public Affairs at CBP, denied the claims to Newsweek, stating, “These claims [regarding Schmidt] are blatantly false with respect to CBP. When an individual is found with drug-related charges and tries to reenter the country, officers will take proper action.”
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“The revocation of green cards and arrest and detention of individuals in the U.S. without giving them an opportunity to prove their lawful status is a violation of due process,” Seattle-based immigration attorney Kripa Upadhyay told the American weekly news magazine.
Upadhyay also flagged the case of an Indian executive who was denied entry after being suspected of working illegally while on a B-1 business visa. “It is not connected to criminal activity on their parts; rather, to the fear of being without status because of excessive delays in immigration processing,” Upadhyay added.
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