After Trump becomes president, South Asian Bar Association seeks comprehensive immigration reform

Washington: Observing that this election cycle was a divisive one, filled with uncertainty and anxiety about the future of the nation and democracy, the South Asian Bar Association has pushed for a comprehensive immigration reform, including improving the H-1B programme.

The H-1B visa programme allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

“This election cycle was a divisive one, filled with uncertainty and anxiety about the future of our nation and democracy,” Keerthi Sugumaran, president of the South Asian Bas Association (SABA) North America and Mona Shah, its executive director, said.

SABA North America said it is committed to working with president-elect Donald Trump and his administration to ensure that the voices of its members are heard on a broad range of policy issues impacting the South Asian community, from racial justice and immigration to religious discrimination, reproductive rights, and the rule of law.

Immigration reform, reproductive justice freedoms and nomination of qualified South Asian attorneys are its key priorities, SABA North America said.

“These issues, which were at the forefront of South Asian voters in this election, will undoubtedly remain key policy issues for the upcoming administration,” it said.

“Pushing for comprehensive immigration reform, as it did in December 2023 when it submitted its comments to USCIS’s proposal for improving the H-1B programme and registration process under the Biden-Harris Administration. Lobbying for reproductive justice freedoms, an issue that uniquely affects Asian American and South Asian American women; and advocating for key endorsements and nominations of qualified South Asian attorneys to the judiciary, including the US Supreme Court,” the press release said.

SABA, it said, remains steadfast in its “support of our members and members of the South Asian community to exercise their fundamental rights and liberties under the Constitution”.

SABA continues to work with its chapters and community partners to ensure that the rights and liberties of its members and the South Asian community are protected.