Trump’s tough immigration plan: 18,000 Indians set for deportation in first wave of historic crackdown!

Washington D.C. (The Uttam Hindu): The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has compiled a list of around 15 lakh individuals targeted for deportation, including nearly 18,000 undocumented Indian nationals, as part of President-elect Donald Trump's plan to carry out the largest deportation in US history. These 18,000 Indians are at risk of being sent back to India.

As of November 2024, ICE data shows that 17,940 Indian nationals are part of the 15 lakh people in the US with final removal orders. The US is home to approximately 725,000 undocumented immigrants from India, making them the third-largest group of unauthorized immigrants, after those from Mexico and El Salvador. In a move towards addressing this issue, the US government had earlier used a chartered flight in October to deport Indian nationals staying illegally in the country. The flight, which left on October 22, was organized in coordination with the Indian government, as confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security.

Many undocumented Indians in the US are struggling to legalize their status, with some waiting for years for clearance from ICE. In the past three financial years, an average of 90,000 Indians were caught attempting to cross the US border illegally. Honduras leads the deportation list with 2,61,651 undocumented immigrants, followed by Guatemala, Mexico, and El Salvador.

ICE has also labeled India as "uncooperative," citing delays in coordination for deportation. The agency expects foreign governments, including India, to take appropriate actions, such as conducting interviews, issuing travel documents, and accepting the return of their nationals, either on scheduled commercial flights or charter flights, in accordance with ICE's removal guidelines. The lack of cooperation from countries in accepting their nationals may result in those countries being classified as uncooperative or at risk of non-compliance. Currently, ICE considers India, along with 14 other countries, as uncooperative. These countries include Bhutan, Burma, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Iran, Laos, Pakistan, People's Republic of China, Russia, Somalia, and Venezuela.