US President Donald Trump plans to replace chain migration with merit-based admissions

He especially highlighted the chain migration system while talking about overhauling the country's immigration system in the light of 'both national and economic security'.

"We must replace the current system of extended family chain migration with a merit-based system of admissions that selects new arrival based on their ability to contribute to the economy to support themselves financially and strengthen our country," Trump was quoted by the media as saying.

Amidst negotiations over some 700,000 immigrants brought into the United States illegally as children who reportedly face deportation as early as March, Trump was reported to state that the existing immigration system was "stuck in the past".

An analysis of a study by the Center for Immigration Studies on immigration through chain migration -- where people granted a green card bring their family members to the US -- revealed that on an average one Indian immigrant sponsored over five additional immigrants.

Another study "Multiplying Diversity" revealed that between 1996 and 2000 there were 36,160 new immigrants to the US and 184,830 sponsored family immigrants.

Elimination of the chain system is likely to adversely affect Indian Americans who are planning to bring their family members to the United States.

Indians reportedly -- the third largest group after Mexican and filipono --constiture seven percent of the 4.3 million people on the waiting list for family-based immigrant visas.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)