JD Vance’s immigration remark sparks row, triggers calls to send Usha back to India

US Vice President JD Vance’s claim that mass migration amounts to the “theft of the American Dream” has ignited a major controversy, with critics calling the remark hypocritical and xenophobic. Many have pointed out that Vance’s wife, Usha, is the daughter of Indian immigrants, even urging him to “send her back” to India.

Vance made the comment in a post on X, claiming that mass migration strips opportunities from American workers. He also alleged that studies contradicting his view were funded by “the people getting rich off of the old system”.

Among the many reactions, author and political commentator Wajahat Ali responded sharply to Vance’s message, writing, “That means you have to send Usha, her Indian family, and your biracial kids back to India”.

USHA’S FAITH REMARKS STIR CONTROVERSY

The uproar over Vance’s immigration rhetoric comes on the heels of another polarising debate over his comments about cultural and religious preferences. In a recent appearance on the New York Post podcast, Vance said it was “totally reasonable and acceptable” for Americans to prefer neighbours who share their race, language or skin colour. These remarks drew condemnation from civil rights advocates.

Vance, who often mirrors former President Donald Trump’s messaging, also blamed the Biden administration for fostering what he described as an immigration system that “promoted division.” Asked whether a returning Trump administration would deport all undocumented migrants, Vance said, “We’re trying to remove as many as we possibly can.”

The latest criticism has also resurfaced remarks Vance made last month about his wife’s Hindu faith. Speaking at a Turning Point USA event, he said he believed Usha would one day share his Christian faith, adding that she attends church with him and that he “honestly do(es) wish” she might eventually convert. His statement was widely interpreted as insensitive, given Usha’s own religious identity.

Vance later sought to temper the controversy, clarifying that Usha “has no plans to convert” and that he respects her beliefs.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ESCALATES IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

The controversy over Vance’s remarks comes at a time when the Trump administration has dramatically intensified its immigration crackdown. On December 3, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an immediate suspension of all immigration applications, including green cards, citizenship, and asylum claims, from 19 “high-risk” countries previously flagged under past travel bans.

USCIS cited heightened security concerns following the fatal shooting of a National Guard member by an Afghan asylum seeker in Washington, DC. The sweeping directive freezes asylum decisions for more than 2.2 million pending cases and requires re-interviews for refugees admitted under the prior administration, effectively halting pathways for thousands of families, workers and students.

IRONY OF THE ELITE LADDER

Vance’s recent rhetoric, framing mass migration as “theft” and veering into racially charged preferences, is vintage Trumpism, it is a calculated strategy to weaponise economic anxiety into cultural fear. While it is factual that rapid, unchecked migration can strain public systems and fuel wage suppression (studies indicate a 5–10% dip for native workers in low-skill sectors), framing it as an existential plot overlooks the glaring economic and personal contradiction at the heart of his message.

Vance himself embodies the elite ladder he now seeks to dismantle. His own family story reflects immigrant ambition, undercuts his authenticity when he attacks the very path that brought his own success. His race-preference signalling risks fracturing the broader MAGA coalition by alienating fast-growing voter blocs: Asian Americans now constitute 7% of the electorate, a 50% increase since 2016, and Hispanic voters are key in swing states. While the language serves as a red rag for the base ahead of the midterms, it dangerously normalises division in a country where 45 million immigrants (legal and otherwise) are responsible for generating roughly 25% of annual GDP growth.

America’s strength is its melting-pot grit, not purity tests. The solution lies in ditching the bluster for bipartisan deals that manage immigration humanely and strategically.

Instead of tearing down the system, Vance could leverage his own wife Usha’s immigrant success story as proof that the American Dream works when managed right. It is time to build bridges that strengthen the nation’s economic and cultural foundation, not burn them for political expediency.

– Ends