Sumit is the quintessential legal immigrant — a Silicon Valley techie. We talk to him about where the line is between immigration regulations governing the activities of foreign nationals like him, and life itself, being constrained by those very regulations.

He tells us his thoughts behind career choices, furniture purchases, and indeed, buying a car and home. In doing so, he shows us the many unintended consequences that current legal immigration policy can have in the lives of those that walk this path.

References:

1. For green card backlog- https://www.cato.org/blog/150-year-wait-indian-immigrants-advanced-degrees
2. For opt and stem extension- https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/training-opportunities-in-the-united-states
3. Opt and stem extension application- https://www.uscis.gov/opt
4. Opt and stem extension unemployment days - https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/sevis-help-hub/student-records/fm-student-employment/unemployment-counter
5. H1B Cap - https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations-dod-cooperative-research-and-development-project-workers-and-fashion-models
6. H1B Lottery - https://www.murthy.com/2019/12/16/frequently-asked-questions-about-h1b-cap-and-electronic-registration-system/
7. Green Card Backlog - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2020/visa-bulletin-for-july-2020.html
8. H4-EAD: https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/employment-authorization-certain-h-4-dependent-spouses
9. EB1: https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-first-preference-eb-1
10. I-797**:**https://www.uscis.gov/forms/forms-information/form-i-797-types-and-functions\
11. H1-B Program: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/immigration/h1b
12. STEM Fields: https://www.ed.gov/stem#:~:text=These are the kinds of,disciplines collectively known as STEM