A video of a US senator criticizing Indians for waiting too long for green cards has gone viral. In the 45-second video, Utah Senator Mike Lee said Indians wait up to 10 years for green cards, while Germans only have to wait 12 months. He called it “morally contrary to American values.”

The video was shared by an individual who accused the United States of racial discrimination in its issuance of green cards.

The United States offers green cards that allow people to live there permanently. There are several ways to get it, such as having a family in the United States, a job offer, or winning the lottery.

Indians applying for employment-based green cards face wait times of more than ten years, while Germans with similar qualifications may only have to wait a year.

This backlog hinders skilled immigration and harms the United States’ ability to attract top talent.

Immigration laws ensure that eligibility for these pathways is fair and non-discriminatory, allowing individuals who meet criteria to remain in the United States permanently.

However, concerns about discrimination have surfaced online.

People are arguing on X (formerly Twitter) that the green card system isn’t really fair, claiming there is discrimination based on race when granting permanent residency.

One social media user said on the When their children grow up, they will be deported. “If they don’t get their own visa, they will be deported.” ”

More than a million Indians are lining up to apply for a US green card, with many professionals waiting for more than a decade.Data comes from USCIS shows over 1.2 million Indians waitingthere is a large backlog in the EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 categories.

The user shared a video on X of Utah Sen. Mike Lee talking about state caps.

In a 45-second video, the senator discussed how “Indians have waited more than a decade for green cards, while Germans only had to wait 12 months.”

“One is from India and the other is from Germany, with the exact same skills, the exact same degree and the exact same work experience, applying for an employment-based green card at the same time and on the same day – the German would have waited twelve months Indian applicants will almost certainly have to wait a decade or more to successfully obtain a green card,” said Utah Senator Mike Lee.

“This system goes against American values ​​and is inconsistent with our country’s interest in recruiting the best and brightest,” the senator added.

The EB-2 category caters to the largest portion of India’s backlog as this category includes professionals with advanced degrees and persons with exceptional abilities in the sciences, arts, or business.

An estimated 838,784 Indians are waiting in the backlog. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data shows the backlog has grown significantly in recent years.

According to Forbes, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) estimates that the backlog of Indian cases in these categories will reach 2,195,795 by fiscal year 2030, taking 195 years to clear.

“People who get something approved in 2023 shouldn’t get it before people who got the same thing approved in 2012. It’s a shame we still have to make this argument in 2024. #RemoveCountryCap,” one user expressed on Angry.

Another user said, “This is less than ten years old. This misunderstanding has been repeated over and over again and it has now been over 130 years. The number of people on the waiting list is 1 million and 8,000 are issued per year. Look at row 4 in the picture. “