The complexities of the US immigration system came under the spotlight once again when Indian-origin entrepreneur Aravind Srinivas, the CEO of AI search engine Perplexity AI, posed a simple yet thought-provoking question on X (formerly Twitter): “I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?”
This wasn’t just an idle query. Srinivas, a graduate of IIT Madras and PhD holder from UC Berkeley, revealed that he has been waiting for his green card for three years. Known for his sharp and concise remarks, billionaire Elon Musk replied to the post with a straightforward “Yes.” The exchange quickly gained traction, with netizens, industry leaders, and Musk’s followers weighing in on the broader issue of US immigration policies.
Who is Aravind Srinivas?
Srinivas is a highly accomplished individual, co-founding Perplexity AI in 2022 alongside Andy Konwinski, Denis Yarats, and Johnny Ho. The search engine, backed by prominent investors like Jeff Bezos, uses artificial intelligence to transform information retrieval. Srinivas, an IIT Madras alumnus with a PhD from UC Berkeley, began his career as a research intern at OpenAI and later held roles at Google and DeepMind before returning to OpenAI as a research scientist.
Srinivas and Musk’s viral interaction
His post, “I think I should get a green card. Wdyt?”, resonated with many, especially in the tech and immigrant communities. Musk’s one-word reply, “Yes,” added fuel to the conversation. Srinivas responded with a red heart and folded hands emoji, thanking Musk.
But this wasn’t their first interaction on the topic. Days earlier, Srinivas had lamented his prolonged wait for permanent residency, saying, “I have been waiting for my green card for like the last 3 years. Still haven’t gotten it. People mostly have no idea when they talk about immigration.”
In response, Musk offered a sharp critique of the US immigration system: “We have an upside-down system that makes it difficult for highly skilled individuals to enter the US legally, while it’s almost effortless for criminals to do so illegally. Why is it easier for a murderer to cross the border unlawfully than for a Nobel Laureate to enter legally?”
The billionaire tagged former President Donald Trump and referenced “DOGE” as part of his commentary, further adding to the drama.
Netizens react to the debate
Srinivas’ plight struck a chord online, with users voicing their frustrations about the cumbersome immigration process. One user wrote: “At minimum, the US should make EB-1A cap exempt/unlimited in number. Would at least go towards solving the issue that the small set of highly skilled people don’t need to wait irrespective of their country of birth.”
Another commented: “Aravind, the fact that you don’t have one yet, just shows how broken the immigration system is. I’m hopeful 2025 will be the year.”
Some responses questioned the value of US residency altogether, with one user stating: “Why? You’ll have to pay a ton of taxes forever, and the USD is about to collapse. The smart are denouncing their citizenships.”
Proposals for immigration reform
Srinivas himself has previously called for streamlining the immigration process. Last month, he suggested leveraging technology to expedite applications: “Excited for Elon (Musk) and Vivek (Ramaswamy) to make legal immigration better. I would even push for a higher application fee (e.g., 2x) in exchange for high-quality fast service. Think about immigration to America as you investing in the country.”
He proposed a system where applicants could upload documents through a mobile app, pay via Apple Pay, schedule interviews within a week, and receive results within a month.
The green card dilemma
A green card, officially termed a Permanent Resident Card, allows foreign nationals to live and work in the United States indefinitely. While it grants significant advantages—such as job flexibility, access to social benefits, and ease of travel—the path to obtaining one is fraught with delays and bureaucratic hurdles.