New Delhi: After the new Trump administration raised the issue of illegal immigration in its first meeting with India, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said New Delhi was open to the "legitimate return" of Indian nationals living 'illegally' abroad, including in the United States.
The EAM acknowledging the issue is a major development as US has identified some 18,000 undocumented Indian migrants to be sent back home.
According to a report by Bloomberg, most of these 18,000 Indians allegedly living illegally in the US are from Punjab and Gujarat. The number could be much higher as according to a 2023 report by the US Department of Homeland Security, there were 2.2 lakh unauthorized Indian immigrants residing in the US as of 2022.
US President Donald Trump has begun his crackdown on illegal immigration, a pledge that was the centrepiece of his electoral campaign. Trump aims to end birthright citizenship and mobilize troops on the US-Mexico border.
India has acknowledged the issue of illegal immigration with EAM Jaishankar affirming that New Delhi's position on the issue has been "consistent" and "principled" and he did clearly convey this to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
EAM Jaishankar made the remarks on Wednesday during a press conference in Washington DC, where he is at the invitation of the US government to attend the presidential inauguration.
"We have always taken the view that if there are any of our citizens, who are not here legally, if we are sure that they are our citizens, we have always been open to their legitimate return to India. So it's not a position unique to the United States," Jaishankar said.
"I understand right now that there is a certain debate going on and a resulting sensitivity which is there. But we have been consistent, we have been very principled about it, and that remains our position, and I conveyed that very clearly to US State Secretary Marco Rubio," he added.
The EAM said India is firmly opposed to illegal migration, adding it is not "reputationally good" and also leads to several illegal activities.
"We are also very firmly opposed to illegal mobility and illegal migration. Because you also know that when something illegal happens, many other illegal activities get joined into it...this is not desirable. It's certainly not reputationally good...So we have with every country, and the US is no exception," he added.
On Tuesday, newly appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had his first bilateral meeting with Jaishankar in which he expressed Trump administration's desire to advance economic ties with India, and address concerns related to irregular migration.
During his press conference a day later, apart from speaking on the issue of irregular migration, Jaishankar also emphasised that India is very much supportive to 'legal mobility' between two countries and wants Indian skills and talent to have great opportunity at the global level.
"As a government, we obviously are very much supportive of legal mobility because we do believe in a global workplace. We want Indian talent and Indian skills to have the maximum opportunity at a global level," the EAM said.
The Foreign Minister, during his meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also pointed out the long waiting period for getting US visas, and said it is not serving the relationship well.
"I also told him (Rubio) that, while we understand all of this, and I also accept that these are autonomous processes, it is in our mutual interest to facilitate legal and mutually beneficial mobility. If it takes 400 odd days waiting period to get a visa, I don't think the relationship is well served by this. So I think he also noted that point," he further said.
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