India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, said on Thursday that the country plans to strongly deal with illegal migration. This announcement came just a day after a US military plane returned 104 migrants to India. Many people who are living in the US without proper papers have been arrested since President Trump took office on January 20.
Trump’s actions to change immigration rules could affect around 11 million undocumented migrants. Jaishankar told parliament that every country has the responsibility to take back its people who are living abroad illegally.
Michael W. Banks, the head of the US Border Patrol, said that this deportation flight was the farthest one yet using military transport. He shared a video on social media showing a line of shackled migrants boarding a military plane.
Jaishankar assured that India is working with the US to make sure the returning migrants are treated well during the flight. He pointed out that this deportation process isn’t new. Since 2009, more than 15,000 Indians have been sent back from the US, with almost half of them being deported from 2019 to 2024.
Jaishankar emphasized the need for a strong effort against illegal migration while also wanting easier visa processes for those traveling legally. India has a rapidly growing economy, but many citizens still leave the country to find better jobs. The US is the top destination for these migrants.
India is pushing for a more friendly US visa policy for skilled workers like engineers and doctors. Trump had a good relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was in office from 2017 to 2021. There are reports that Modi might visit Washington next week to meet with Trump.
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