‘You can be kicked out any time’: US immigrants’ lives upended by Covid

Many foreign-born workers have lost their jobs to the pandemic - and strict new visa rules have raised the threat of removal

When Swaraj lost his job amid the recession last year, it triggered a ticking time bomb. Suddenly, he had to either find a different employer to sponsor his visa or return to India, throwing away the life he had built during half a decade in the United States.

It's not right," said Swaraj, who asked the Guardian to only use his first name to protect his career. If I lose my work status, I have to leave this country within 60 days. I felt like ... that's not correct."