Pakistani Americans hope for relaxed immigration policies after US presidential elections

Pakistani American voters are seeking relaxation of the United States' immigration policies, hoping to simplify the complex processes of obtaining citizenship and sponsoring family members.

The US presidential elections hold significant implications for immigration policy, as candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have contrasting views on immigration issues. 

The experts believe that if Donald Trump is re-elected as president of the US in 2024, immigrants might encounter an increase of scrutiny in immigrants’ applications.

In the past five years, as many as 3.3 million Pakistanis settled abroad and a total of 700,000 Pakistanis are currently living and running their businesses in the US, according to a survey.

Pakistan-based US citizens believe that emigration policies will not affect whether any of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will clinch the elections in 2024.

On the other hand, Trump described immigrants as responsible for the current economic dis-balance in the US, he also declared his strong stance against immigration in his election campaign as well. 

In an inteview with the BBC UrduPakistani resident of New York expressed support for Harris’s immigration policies, believing they are more favorable than Trump's.

However, Pakistanis living in the US have fears of displacement after elections. “I had a life threat in Pakistan, which is caused by immigration to here, now I am safe but now I am tense about the policy of the new government,” said a Pakistani man on condition of hiding his identification.

“I don’t know about my future in the US,” he added.

Apart from this, some Pakistani voters, living in the US for years, support Trump and believe that Trump is a more suitable candidate for US interests.

Like Mohammad Yasin and his family, who have lived in the US for the past three decades. They said, “Trump is right, most US citizens are suffering from inflation right now and this is the biggest economy is a huge problem.”

Yasin said that the Biden administration has “given illegal immigrants in the United States very good benefits. Their entire burden is borne by the same tax money that we earn by working hard.”

During his election campaign, Trump pledged mass deportations of undocumented migrants if re-elected.

Kamala Harris, the current Vice President, and Trump, the former President, have both clarified their immigration policies during the election campaign.

However, many Pakistani American voters feel that regardless of whether Harris or Trump takes office, their lives may not see substantial changes.