South Asian Immigration in the United States: A Gendered Perspective

South Asian Immigration in the United States: A Gendered Perspective (click to view)

Writing from the perspective of Manavi, a South Asian organization dedicated to combating domestic violence, the author Maneesha Kelkar finds fault with a "male-centric immigration system in the United States" that has caused "untold misery for countless immigrant women."  

One source of frustration is the H4 derivative visa, issued to spouses of H1B visa holders. These visas place women in subservient positions by denying them the right to work in the U.S. Other problems arise when immigrant men, who are citizens or permanent residents, refuse to sponsor their wives for permanent residence or when men abandon women on visits to their home countries.  

The author argues that the voices of immigrant women need to be heard in discourses on immigration reform and that immigrant spouses should be granted the same rights as primary income earners. (Abstract by Prof. Nick Montalto)

South Asian Immigration in the United States: A Gendered Perspective (click to view)