271 illegal Indian immigrants due for deportation from US: Sushma Swaraj tells Parliament

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Sushma Swaraj
Sushma Swaraj

Los Angeles : Indian government on Friday asked US to provide details of the 271 illegal immigrants it wants New Delhi to take back following certain statistics that remains to be addressed. The Donald Trump administration has given a list of 271 people, claiming they were illegal migrants from India.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gopal Baglay said, “This is an ongoing matter. The US authorities had conveyed to us sometime back that out of certain statistics provided to us earlier, 271 cases remained to be addressed. However, no details of these cases were provided. We have asked for the same.”

Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister, also spoke in Parliament, “We have not accepted this list and have sought more details. We have said that it is only after we verify the details, can we issue an emergency certificate for their deportation.”

“Until we verify the nationalities of these people, how do we believe the claims in the list?” Swaraj said.

According to report, the United States administration has given India a list of 271 people claiming that they were illegal migrants from India and has informed India of the deportation. However, there has been no comment on the list from the Trump administration.

As per Brendan Raedy, a public affairs officer for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, “Each country has an obligation under international law to accept the return of its nationals who are not eligible to remain in the United States or any other country.” 

Reports maintain that the number of illegal Indian immigrants in the United States have increased about 130,000 between 2009 to 2014 to an estimated 500,000 people. 

Department of Homeland Security points out that many of these illegal immigrants from India  and other countries arrive in US with a legal status and overstayed their visas.