Reps. Ami Bera, D-California, and Deborah Ross, D-Pennsylvania, led 33 members of Congress who wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas June 25to ask for protection from deportation of H-4 children who age out of their legal status after turning 21.
Indians account for about 93 percent of H-4 visa recipients, according to data from DHS and the Indian Embassy. The visa is given to spouses of H-1B visa holders and their children. But once children turn 21, they are no longer considered dependents; thus their H-4 status is nullified, even if they have grown up in the U.S. H-4 children who have aged out can port to an F1 student visa, but must pay expensive international student tuition. If they cannot port their status to another type of visa, they must return to the home country or remain in the U.S. as undocumented residents who face deportation.