The US military plane deporting Indian immigrants, landed in Amritsar.
Credit: Reuters Photo
The deportation of more than 100 illegal Indian immigrants from the United States signals the seriousness with which the US administration is enforcing its immigration laws. It is also a pointer to conditions that may have prompted many in India to seek a better life by resorting to risky and illegal means to enter another country. Most of those who landed at the Amritsar airport are from states that have a tradition of migration – legal and illegal – and most of them may have spent crores of rupees to hitch this ride. More planes carrying migrants are set to land in the country; there is also an element of national humiliation in these mass deportations of handcuffed Indians in military aircraft.
It was clear that the US was intensifying its operations against illegal immigrants for some years. Even last year, there were deportations to other countries including India. President Donald Trump has made a bigger push, giving it greater scale and visibility because he also wanted to make a political point by asserting his anti-immigration stance. The US embassy in New Delhi has made it clear that the deportations are in accordance with the administration’s policy to tighten the immigration laws and remove illegal immigrants. The deportations are taking place before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US where immigration is likely to be discussed. The issue was a point of discussion during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent visit to the US. The minister had assured the US that India was open to the “legitimate return” of all migrants. India did well to not take a confrontational posture as some South American countries had initially tried to do.
India is among countries with the largest illegal immigrant population in the US, estimated to be over 7.5 lakh. It does not bring any credit to India that so many of its citizens are living in another country by hiding and evading its laws. India has the responsibility to take them back after verification of their credentials. Hopefully, the return of the migrants will act as a deterrent to others who might still have plans to move to the US or other countries, dreaming of a better life. Illegal migration needs to be stopped; the government must crack down on networks that operate across states facilitating migration through illegal means. People must be educated about the risks of illegal entry into other countries. It should also be recognised that many people would not think of leaving the country if living conditions here are better for them.