In a clear sign that it is willing to sail with the new Trump administration on illegals, India is preparing to take back an estimated 18,000 of its citizens living illegally in the United States.
Bloomberg reported that the Indian government will verify and start the process of deportation of the 18,000 identified by US authorities.
But the news report said the actual number of Indian illegals in the US could be more as it was not clear what their total number is. Most are believed to be from Gujarat and Punjab.
Illegals and trade
“Like several other nations, India is working behind the scenes to appease the Trump administration and avoid the brunt of its trade threats,” Bloomberg said.
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In return for its cooperation, India hopes that the Trump administration would protect legal immigration channels used by Indians to enter the US such as student visas and the H-1B programme for skilled workers.
Indian citizens accounted for almost three-fourths of the 386,000 H-1B visas granted in 2023, according to official data.
Official Indian reaction
“As part of India-US cooperation on migration and mobility, both sides are engaged in a process to deter illegal migration,” Indian external affairs ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal was quoted as saying.
“This is being done to create more avenues for legal migration from India to the US,” he added.
Indians, however, account for only some three per cent of all illegal crossings challenged by US border officials in fiscal 2024, US data say.
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Rising Indian illegals
But the share of Indian illegal migrants has been rising in recent years. Much of the illegal crossing has been reported from the US-Canada border.
Harsh Pant, a professor of International Relations at King’s College London, told Bloomberg that illegal immigration was one area where New Delhi could show the Trump administration that it was delivering.
In October last year, a flight from the US brought home more than 100 Indian nationals. This was on top of the over 1,100 Indian citizens deported in the previous 12 months.
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Khalistan supporters?
Some of the Indians staying illegally in the US could be supporters of the Khalistan movement, the report said.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly complained that New Delhi’s high import taxes hurt American businesses and has vowed reciprocal duties on Indian goods.
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