Indians presently constitute the second-largest number of legal immigrants to the United States, after Mexicans. These include those seeking short- and long-term visas, as well as the ones intending to ultimately obtain US citizenship. It is an established fact that people of Indian origin contribute disproportionately to the economy and are much sought after by tech companies to do jobs for which personnel are not available locally. The remittances they send home are also a significant contribution to the Indian economy. As such, it is the interests of this community that the Government of India has to prioritise when it comes to engagement with the US Government.
On the other hand, Indians seeking illegal entry into the US are persons breaking the law not only of the that country, but also of India. The lure of a supposed ‘better life’ even as illegals makes them fall into various types of exploitative traps. The fact that they take their wives and children with them into such uncertain situations is irresponsible to say the least. One may recall the family from Gujarat that died while seeking to cross over from Canada into the US, including three children. Far from sympathising with such persons, they should be prosecuted for ‘reckless endangerment of the children’.
The political parties that are raising a hue and cry about the ‘ill-treatment’ of these illegal immigrants by the United States should be reminded that they wish to be rid of their Indian citizenship. The demand that they be repatriated home at the cost of the Indian taxpayer is obviously unfair. In the United States, the use of restraints is common practice, often applied even in the case of traffic stops. When transporting more than fifty males in a military aircraft, would they take the chance of allowing altercations to take place mid-flight that could escalate to serious levels? It must also be noted that these people have not only broken US laws but also those of India. There should be legal repercussions for their actions even here.
It needs to be ensured that the considerable goodwill that Indians enjoy as a community in the US and other foreign countries is maintained. It should also be remembered that India has a much worse problem of illegal immigration and there cannot be double standards when dealing with the situation. True, India’s opposition parties are desperate to defeat the BJP, but they need to maintain a sense of proportion that keeps the nation’s interest first, every time.
