The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) has mounted a forceful defence of the Green Card and H-1B visa programmes, citing data showing they generate $2.1 trillion in combined household income for the American economy — even as the Trump administration moves to intensify scrutiny of legal immigration pathways.

The Economic Case USISPF Is Making

In a statement issued on Friday, the influential Washington-based organisation drew on an analysis of 2022 US Census Bureau data to argue that legal immigration beneficiaries had paid $382.9 billion in federal taxes and a further $196.3 billion in state and local taxes. Their combined spending power, according to the analysis, stood at $1.6 trillion.

'The Green Card and H-1B programs are among the United States' most significant economic policy success stories, strengthening America's economic growth, innovation, and global competitiveness,' USISPF said in its statement.

The organisation argued that these programmes have attracted high-skilled talent that has enabled American companies to expand, create jobs, and sustain technological leadership in a competitive global landscape.

The Backdrop: PERM and Tightened Scrutiny

The statement was released against the backdrop of recent action by the US Department of Labour concerning the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programme — a key route for employment-based permanent residency. While USISPF stopped short of opposing the administration's review, it cautioned that tightening measures should not obscure the measurable economic value legal immigration delivers.

'We fully support the administration's efforts to prevent fraud and abuse in legal immigration programs,' the organisation said, adding that such abuse undermines the domestic job market. It stressed, however, that efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse must simultaneously recognise immigrants' contributions to American economic success.

Indian Americans: 1.5% of Population, 6% of GDP

USISPF placed particular emphasis on the Indian American community as a case study in the upside of legal immigration. According to the organisation, Indian Americans represent just 1.5 per cent of the US population yet contribute an estimated 6 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

The forum also noted that Indian Americans co-founded 72 of the 648 unicorn companies in the United States in 2024 — a statistic it offered as evidence of the community's outsized role in American entrepreneurship and technology.

White House Ceremony Cited as Evidence

In a pointed rhetorical move, USISPF pointed to a recent White House ceremony at which President Donald Trump presented the National Medals of Science and the National Medals of Technology and Innovation to six leading innovators. The organisation noted that five of the six recipients were born outside the United States — a detail it cited as a symbol of foreign-born talent's contribution to American scientific achievement.

'We share the administration's goal of helping the United States succeed as a global technology leader by attracting the best global technology talent while sustaining a strong domestic job market,' USISPF said.

What the H-1B and Green Card Programmes Do

The H-1B programme enables American employers to hire foreign professionals for specialised roles, predominantly in technology and engineering. Indian nationals have historically accounted for the largest share of H-1B beneficiaries. The Green Card confers lawful permanent residency. Employment-based immigration — including pathways that combine H-1B tenure with PERM certification — remains a primary route for foreign professionals seeking long-term careers in the United States.

With the administration's immigration posture under close scrutiny, USISPF's data-driven intervention signals that the India-US business community is prepared to make an assertive economic argument in defence of high-skilled legal immigration.