American or not? Uncertainty looms over expecting Indian immigrant parents after Donald Trump alters rules
NEW DELHI: Expecting Indian immigrant parent, who are set to welcome their first child on February 26, are uncertain over their kid’s nationality after US President Donald Trump declared a rule that would deny automatic US citizenship to kids born to temporary foreign workers.
“This impacts us directly. If the order takes effect, we don’t know what comes next – it’s uncharted territory,” said expecting father Akshay, as reported by BBC.
The couple had also sought their doctor’s advice on the possibility of an early delivery. However, they have decided to wait.
“I want the natural process to take its course,” the would-be mother Neha said.
“My priority is a safe delivery and my wife’s health. Citizenship comes second,” Akshay added.
Expressing discontentment over Trump’s move, Neha said, “Pregnancy is stressful enough, but we thought after a decade here it would get easier – then this happens on top of everything.”
To this, Akshay added, “As legal, tax-paying immigrants, our baby deserves US citizenship – it’s been the law, right?”
US citizenship is highly sought after, particularly by skilled H-1B visa holders, with Indians forming the second-largest immigrant group in the country.
Trump’s order has faced legal challenges as a third federal judge on Monday blocked the order seeking to end birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants. This came after similar decisions by judges in Seattle and Maryland last week.
