Key Points
- The US sent illegal Indian immigrants back on a chartered flight.
- This move came from cooperation between the US and Indian governments.
- The DHS is actively working to reduce illegal migration.
- Since June 2024, over 160,000 people have been returned globally.
- In 2023, US authorities encountered nearly 97,000 illegal Indian immigrants.
Looma News
NEW DELHI: Earlier this week, the United States returned a chartered plane full of illegal Indian immigrants, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This deportation is part of a joint effort with the Indian government regarding migration.
On October 22, the DHS organized a large charter flight for Indian nationals who could not prove they had the right to stay in the US. In a press release, the DHS confirmed its commitment to working with India and other partners to fight illegal migration and human smuggling.
No specific numbers or details about the immigrants’ regions in India were shared. Kristie A. Canegallo, a senior DHS official, said, “Indian nationals without a legal reason to stay in the United States will be quickly removed.” She cautioned potential migrants against believing smugglers’ false promises of easier ways to stay in the US.
Sources in the Indian government mentioned that this deportation fits into ongoing efforts to create legal migration options from India to the US. Such deportations have been happening for years as both countries work together to discourage illegal migration.
Since June 2024, the DHS has returned over 160,000 individuals and carried out more than 495 international repatriation flights to over 145 countries, including India. According to data shared in Parliament last year, US Customs and Border Protection reported encountering 96,917 illegal Indian immigrants in 2023.
The annual India-US Consular Dialogue focuses on mutual consular issues, aiming to ensure safe and legal migration. The DHS collaborates with governments worldwide to help return nationals without legal status in the US, as part of a broader effort to promote lawful migration and combat international crime.
