White House Initiative Suggests Recapture of Lost Green Cards Since 1992, could help 500,000 NRIs

HONOLULU (Diya TV) – In a significant move, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (WHAANHPI) unanimously approved a recommendation to recapture green cards lost since 1992 due to agency inaction. This decision is being celebrated by the Indian Diaspora, marking another effort by the Biden Administration in addressing the challenges faced by over 500,000 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) caught in immigration limbo in the United States.

During the July meeting, Immigration Sub-committee member Ajay Bhutoria presented the recommendation, citing a precedent set by the State Department in the 1970s. Back then, the Department successfully recaptured unused green cards independently, indicating their authority to reissue these “lost green cards” caused by agency inaction. Previously, green card recaptures required intervention from the US Congress, as seen in 2005 when green cards were recaptured to alleviate nursing shortages.

A recent study conducted by the CATO Institute highlights the potential impact of recapturing these unused green cards from 1992. The study reveals that if implemented, the number of family-based recaptures could reach an impressive 561,454, while employment-based recaptures could go up to 490,964. This initiative would significantly alleviate the green card backlog for various countries, including those beyond the Rest of the World category.

The WHAANHPI’s decision to recapture lost green cards represents a major step forward in rectifying the immigration limbo faced by NRIs in the United States. But it still just a non-binding recommendation that will need political support to be implemented.

WATCH the WHAANHPI discussion here:

Part 2: