How many Indians are living illegally in America?
India does not have any official figure of how many Indians are living illegally in America. Because he/she is considered Indian only after his/her Indian citizenship is confirmed. Estimated, this number is said to be between 2 lakh and 7 lakhs. But the government says that it has no figure of the number of Indian migrants living in America.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, “This is because these people have gone legally from India, but either their US visa period is over, or they have entered the US illegally.”
Indian agencies closely examine the list of exile
Indian agencies closely examine the list of people identified by the US for exile. Only those people whose Indian citizenship is verified. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Parliament that it is the responsibility of all countries to accept their citizens living abroad. But this is subject to clear verification of his/her nationality. India has been accepting people deported from America for the last few decades. Most people (2,042) returned in 2019. Last year 1,368 illegal Indians were brought back.
Need to take action on the black business of illegal migration
The real issue for the Government of India needs action on the black business of illegal migration. Jaishankar, in his/her statement in Parliament last month, described it as “Illegal Migration Industry”. he/she had said that law enforcement agencies will take action against agents promoting illegal migrations. This is a serious problem that needs attention. Many people get illegally and get caught in trouble by coming under the guise of agents.
Many problems due to illegal migration
There are many aspects in this whole matter. On one hand, people go abroad in search of better life. Illegal migration on the other hand causes many problems. Therefore, governments need to take strict steps to deal with this problem. Also, people need to be aware that they should not come under the guise of agents and go abroad in a legal manner. This will also ensure their safety and they will not get into any legal trouble.
International cooperation on this issue is also necessary. Various countries should jointly strategize to deal with this problem. This may include steps such as exchange of information, joint action and capacity building. Also, efforts should be made internationally to make people aware.
