Indian American legislators are among 60 lawmakers who have written to urge the impending Biden administration to renew the H4 Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
Reps (Dem) Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, Ami Bera and Ro Khanna of California were among the writers of the letter that said:
“We write to request that you provide immediate relief upon assuming office to the many families adversely impacted by significant delays in the processing of work authorization documents (EADs) for people on H-4 visas … These delays in EAD renewals are causing lapses in work authorization and job losses affecting many people, mostly women of color, in our districts.”
The letter refers to the Obama administration allowance for the spouse of a non-immigrant worker under H1-B visa to work once the working partner receives a sponsorship from their employer for green card and obtains a lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. At that point, the spouse, under H-4 visa, may seek employment.
Tagging an NBC News report on the growing unemployment among South Asian immigrant women during the Covid period, Jayapal tweeted: “The Trump administration is putting immigrants out of work during a pandemic. It’s time to radically and humanely change our immigration system from the ground up—and create one that treats immigrant workers with the dignity they deserve.”
Full text of the letter with list of signatories here.
