Amid US President Trump's order to end birthright citizenship, know who was first Indian to get American citizenship

One of the first decisions taken by US President Donald Trump after being sworn in for a second term was signing an executive order to end birthright citizenship. However, this move has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. Still, it marks the beginning of Trump’s efforts to tighten immigration policies in the US.

Impact on Indian Community in the US
According to the latest census, over 54 lakh (5.4 million) Indians live in the US, making up about 1.47% of the total population. Of these, two-thirds are immigrants, while 34% were born in the country. If Trump's order is implemented, children of Indian citizens living in the US on temporary work or tourist visas will no longer automatically receive American citizenship.

Indians have a strong presence in various fields in the US, from politics to top corporate jobs. Many Indian-origin individuals hold key positions in major multinational companies. But how did Indians start gaining American citizenship in the first place?

The First Indian to Become a US Citizen
Becoming an American citizen was never easy for Indians. The first Indian to achieve this milestone was Bhikaji Balsara, a textile merchant from Bombay (now Mumbai). In the early 1900s, US citizenship was granted only to "free white people" under the Naturalisation Act of 1790.

Balsara’s Legal Fight for Citizenship
In 1906, Bhikaji Balsara filed a case in the Circuit Court of New York, arguing that Aryans, including Indo-Europeans and Caucasians, should be considered white. The court initially rejected his application, fearing it would allow Arabs, Hindus, and Afghans also to seek citizenship. However, he was allowed to appeal.

Since Balsara was a Parsi, he was considered part of a Persian ethnic group classified as white. In 1910, Judge Emile Henry Lacombe of the South District of New York granted him US citizenship. The decision was later challenged in the Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld that Parsis were indeed white. This paved the way for another Indian, AK Majumdar, to also receive US citizenship.

Immigration Restrictions and Later Growth
In 1917, the US introduced strict immigration laws, making it harder for Indians to enter the country. However, Punjabi immigrants continued to move to the US through the Mexican border, settling in California’s Imperial Valley.

After World War II, immigration laws gradually relaxed. The Luce-Celler Act of 1946 allowed 100 Indians to migrate annually. The 1952 Naturalisation Act increased this limit to 2,000 per year. A major change came in 1965, when long-term Indian immigration increased to 40,000 people per year. By 2000, the number had nearly doubled to 90,000.

Indian Immigration in Recent Years
In the 21st century, the IT boom in India led to a significant rise in Indian migration to the US, especially from states like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. Today, Indians account for over 80% of all H-1B work visas issued by the US.

Additionally, a large number of Indian students travel to the US for higher education. Every year, over 500,000 Indian-American students enroll in universities across the country.

Trump’s latest move on birthright citizenship could have a major impact on the future of Indian families in the US, but for now, its implementation remains uncertain.