In a recent development, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has spoken out on the matter and stated that India is always open to the lawful deportation of Indians without documentation.
Jaishankar informed that the number of US citizens who can be deported to India is still being verified by New Delhi, and it is not yet known how many there are. In response to trade concerns India reportedly brought back 18,000 Indian people who were unlawfully in the US in order to appease Donald Trump.
Jaishankar said that they want Indian talent and Indian skills to have the maximum opportunity at the global level. At the same time, we are also very firmly opposed to illegal mobility and illegal migration.
Further, he said that he accepts that these are autonomous processes, it is in their mutual interest to facilitate legal and mutually beneficial mobility.
This started after running a campaign focused on lowering illegal immigration, Trump returned to the White House and started his second term by announcing a border emergency and terminating birthright citizenship.
Although the actual figure may be far higher, a story has appeared claiming that India has indicated a willingness to work with the Trump administration to repatriate 18,000 Indians who are unlawfully in the US.
Sources state that when the Trump administration started working on illegal immigration by mobilizing troops along the US-Mexico border, the Indian government was working with US authorities to identify undocumented Indian immigrants for deportation.
Indians are the third largest group of undocumented immigrants in the United States, after those from Mexico and El Salvador, with an estimated 725,000.
According to the report, the decision to identify and deport Indian immigrants was made in an effort to appease Trump when he assumed office and prevent a trade war.
Since 75% of H-1B visas are granted to Indian employees, the Indian government is equally trying to preserve the status of the visa for skilled migrants to the US.
Furthermore, India may experience social and economic upheavals if a significant number of Indian migrants are deported.
