US warns Indians of ‘significant criminal penalties’ for illegal migration
New Delhi: The United States Embassy in India has warned Indian nationals of “significant criminal penalties” for illegally migrating to the US and breaking its laws.
According to Kashmir Media Service, relations between Washington and New Delhi have become strained over the course of the year, due to US President Donald Trump’s sweeping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods and India’s discomfort over US engagement with Pakistan after the May conflict between the two South Asian rivals.
In a post on X, the US Embassy in India posted a message today reading, “If you break US law, you will be punished with significant criminal penalties. The Trump Administration is committed to ending illegal immigration to the United States and protecting our nation’s borders and our citizens.”
Since taking office in January this year, Trump has vowed to crack down on illegal immigration in the US, rolling out policies and enacting mass deportations through 2025.
In February, a US military aircraft carried 104 deported Indians and landed in Amritsar. Although illegal Indian immigrants have been deported home by previous US administrations, it was the first time Washington used a military aircraft for the purpose.
In addition to deportations, Washington has made it harder for immigrants to obtain visas. In September, Trump ordered a $100,000 fee for H-1B skilled worker visas. H-1B visas allow companies to sponsor foreign workers with specialised skills — such as scientists, engineers, and computer programmers — to work in the United States, initially for three years, but extendable to six years.
India’s leading trade body Nasscom said the timeline for implementing the new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas for high-tech workers in the United States was a “concern”.
