‘Please come home’:Zoho founder urges Indians as US tightens Green Card process, 12 lakh Indian-American families in limbo

Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu has urged Indians living in the United States on visas to return home after a new US immigration policy was proposed that would require most Green Card applicants to leave the country and apply from their home nations through embassies or consulates. Responding to the policy update shared by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Vembu wrote on X The DHS, in a post on X, stated: “An alien who is in the US temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply.” The agency added that the move was intended to prevent misuse of the immigration system and restore what it described as the original intent of immigration laws. Meanwhile, Ajay Bhutoria, former White House Advisor to President Biden and Immigration Advocate on the Trump administration’s new Green Card processing policy, has said that the move will put 12 lakh Indian Americans and their families in limbo after they followed every law, paid taxes, and waited legally for decades. It is not the first time that the Zoho founder has appealed to Indian citizens living in the US to return to their homeland. In April, he shared on X, “Bharat Mata needs your talent. Our vast youthful population needs the technology leadership you gained over the years to guide them towards prosperity. Let’s do it with a missionary zeal.” What changes under the new Green Card policy? Under the proposed policy, many applicants seeking permanent residency in the US would no longer be allowed to remain in the country while their applications are processed. Instead, they may have to leave the US and wait in their home countries until a decision is made. The change is expected to affect thousands of foreign workers, particularly Indians employed in the technology sector on H-1B visas. A Green Card grants permanent residency in the US, allowing foreign nationals to live and work freely without being tied to a sponsoring employer. H-1B visa holders, by contrast, remain dependent on employer sponsorship and face strict timelines if they lose their jobs. The issue gained renewed attention after layoffs in major technology companies highlighted the vulnerability of H-1B workers. Employees who lose their jobs typically have 60 days to secure another sponsoring employer or leave the country. According to immigration data, Indians remain among the largest recipients of Green Cards and naturalised citizenship in the US. In FY 2024, nearly 49,700 Indian-born immigrants became US citizens, second only to those born in Mexico. Tech leaders warn of impact on innovation The proposed policy change has triggered criticism from technology leaders and researchers, many of whom argued that forcing skilled workers to leave the country during the application process could damage innovation and research output. Reacting to the development, LinkedIn Co-Founder Reid Hoffman questioned whether AI researchers, students, and employees would now have to leave the US and wait through long backlogs before resuming work. He described the move as harmful to technology, business, and the broader American economy. US-based technology professional Yuchen Jin also warned that companies such as OpenAI could lose a significant portion of their research workforce if employees are forced to leave while awaiting approval. Social media divided over Vembu’s remarks Vembu’s appeal sparked intense debate online, with some users supporting his call for skilled Indians to return home and contribute to India’s growth. One user said they had voluntarily returned to India after spending years in the US without applying for a Green Card, adding that they now run a successful company employing 130 people. Others argued that India must first address bureaucratic hurdles, corruption, and regulatory red tape before expecting large-scale reverse migration from highly skilled professionals abroad. USCIS says some applicants may receive exemptions A spokesperson for the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) told the BBC that applicants whose work provides economic benefits or serves the national interest may still be allowed to continue under existing procedures. However, immigration experts believe the broader policy shift could significantly alter the Green Card pathway for temporary visa holders, especially those in science, engineering, and technology sectors. ​