The State Department imposed restrictions on visas on owners, executives and senior officials of travel agencies based and operating in India to knowingly facilitate illegal immigration to the United States.
According to the spokesperson Tammy Bruce, “Mission India Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Security Service Work every day through our embassy and consulates to actively identify and target those who have made it easier to facilitate illegal immigration and smuggling and human traffic operations. We will continue to take measures to impose visa restrictions against owners, senior executives traveling to cut the places of the extraterrestrial trajectory “.
In early February, an American military plane brought 104 Indian illegal immigrants expelled from Amritsar, in the state of northern Punjab. It was the first time that a military plane was used to expel illegal foreigners to India.
According to Indian police, 30 immigrants were Punjab and 33 each of Gujrat, the original state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana.
The measure was taken a week before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump in the White House.
“ Our immigration policy not only aims to inform foreign nationals of the dangers of illegal immigration to the United States, but also to keep responsible people who violate our laws, including illegal immigration facilitators ”, said Bruce.
According to DHS, the Trump administration has so far expelled 152,000 illegal migrants.
The interior security secretary, Kristi Noem, said: “If you are illegally here, self-emptation is the best, the surest and profitable means of leaving the United States to avoid arrest. ”
The Pentagon has also planned to expel more than 5,000 migrants from various nationalities, owned by the American authorities across the country.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration offered $ 1,000 allowance and assistance to travel to migrants who voluntarily “self-present” in the United States.
According to the Ministry of Internal Security (DHS), the average cost of arrest, detention and expulsion of an illegal migrant is around $ 17,000, while the potential allowance and plane ticket for a migrant, depending on where he / she is expelled, is almost a third.
Analysts believe that there are nearly 14 million immigrants who lack legal status and that the Trump administration has promised to expel all those who have violated immigration laws.
Tammy Bruce said: “The application of American laws and policies on immigration is essential to respect the rule of law and protect Americans. This visa restriction policy is global and even applies to people who are otherwise eligible for the Visa renunciation program”.
Although the United States has currently taken measures against Indian travel agencies involved in illegal immigration, experts say that other countries should also keep an eye on their travel agents to avoid such humiliation.
