Indian Couples In US Rush For Preterm C-Section To Beat Trump’s Feb 20 Birthright Deadline

<p>After US President Donald Trump announced putting an end to birthright citizenship in the country as part of strict anti-immigration policies, expecting Indian parents in the US are rushing to give birth opting for preterm C-sections to beat the birthright ban deadline– February 20.</p>
<p>According to media reports, the desperation amongst expecting Indian parents to beat the birthright ban deadline is increasing with each passing day as after this executive order is in place the babies born after February 20 will not be automatically entitled to US citizenship like before.</p>
<p>Dr S D Rama, who runs a maternity clinic in New Jersey, told the Times Of India that she has been receiving increased requests for preterm deliveries from Indian parents ever since Trump made the announcement. She said a majority of them are Indian women who are in their ninth or eighth month of pregnancy and are asking for C-sections before Feb 20. As per the report, some are even a couple of months away from the full term.</p>
<p>”A seven-month pregnant woman came with her husband to sign up for a preterm delivery. She isn’t due until sometime in March,” Dr Rama told TOI.</p>
<p>Another obstetrician and gynaecologist in Texas Dr S G Mukkala told TOI that she has been telling couples that preterm deliveries would pose a significant risk to both the child and the mother.&nbsp;</p>
<p>”Complications include underdeveloped lungs, feeding problems, low birth weight, neurological complications, and more,” she said. “In the past two days, I have spoken to 15 to 20 couples regarding this,” the doctor added.</p>
<p>Immediately after taking over as the President, one of the decisions taken by Donald Trump was signing the executive orders to end birthright citizenship in the US. Thus, only children born in the US till February 19 will be born American citizens. After this date, children born to non-citizen couples will not be natural American citizens.</p>
<p>The news came as a major shock to thousands of Indians working on temporary L1 and H-1B visas in the US, who are in queue for green cards, which give permanent residency. Thus, couples bet on their children born in the US for citizenship as after their child turns 21, these American-Indians get their parents’ US residency.</p>
<p>Indian couples working in the US, who have been waiting for their green cards for several years, were relying on birthright citizenship as their safety net. “We were counting on our child being born here…We’ve been waiting for our green cards for six years. This was the only way to ensure stability for our family. We are terrified of the uncertainty,” an Indian woman, who is due to give birth in early March said. The couple had moved to the US eight years ago on H-1B visas, TOI reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>A 28-year-old man working as a finance professional also shared his fears about the deadline closing in on his family. “We sacrificed so much to come here. Now, it feels like the door is closing on us,&rdquo; he told TOI as he and his wife are preparing for their first child.</p>