Indian green-card holders face slowing US citizenship approvals
Around 49,700 India-born people became US citizens in fiscal year 2024, accounting for 6.1% of all naturalisations, according to DHS data
US citizenship approvals are slowing, raising concerns among Indian immigrants amid tighter immigration policies under President Donald Trump
Around 49,700 India-born people became US citizens in fiscal year 2024, accounting for 6.1 per cent of all naturalisations, according to DHS data
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal criticised delays affecting green-card holders, which could leave some applicants unable to vote in November’s midterm elections
The slowdown in US citizenship approvals is raising concerns among Indian immigrants, as tighter immigration policies under President Donald Trump’s administration add to uncertainty for green-card holders seeking naturalisation.
India was the second-largest country of birth among people who became US citizens in fiscal year 2024, with approximately 49,700 India-born individuals naturalised during the period. They accounted for 6.1 per cent of all people who acquired US citizenship that year, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Homeland Security Statistics.
The decline in citizenship approvals has drawn attention from Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat representing Washington state, who raised concerns about the issue on social media platform X.
Citing data compiled by David Bier of the Cato Institute, Jayapal accused the administration of “blocking off people who… are green card holders… waiting for their citizenship approval.”
Jayapal, who was born in Chennai and later became a naturalised US citizen, serves as the ranking member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not provided a specific explanation for the decline in approvals reflected in its monthly data.
The slowdown comes amid broader changes to legal immigration under the Trump administration. Several immigration pathways have faced tighter restrictions, including a reported suspension of the PERM labour certification process used in many employment-based green-card applications. The development has raised concerns among Indian professionals, many of whom rely on employment-based immigration routes to secure permanent residency in the United States.
Under existing US law, lawful permanent residents can generally apply for citizenship after five years of holding a green card. Those married to US citizens may qualify after three years, provided they meet the applicable eligibility requirements. Applicants must also demonstrate English proficiency, pass a civics test and complete an interview as part of the naturalisation process.
For many Indian immigrants, obtaining US citizenship represents the culmination of a lengthy immigration journey. Employment-based green-card applicants from India have often faced prolonged waiting periods because of per-country limits on immigrant visas, leaving some waiting years or even decades to obtain permanent residency.
Citizenship offers greater security and additional rights, including the ability to vote in federal elections, sponsor certain relatives for immigration and travel on a US passport without the restrictions associated with permanent residency.
Delays in naturalisation could also have political implications. Green-card holders are not eligible to vote in US federal elections, meaning applicants whose citizenship approvals are delayed may miss the opportunity to participate in the November midterm elections if they do not become citizens in time.
Immigration lawyers have advised applicants to ensure their naturalisation applications are complete, provide accurate information and keep their residential addresses updated with USCIS. These steps can help prevent avoidable administrative delays, although they cannot guarantee faster processing.
For Indian green-card holders who have already spent years navigating the US immigration system, any further slowdown in citizenship approvals could prolong uncertainty over their legal status and delay access to the full rights and privileges of American citizenship.
With IANS inputs