India is reportedly seeking to entice the Trump administration to protect access to key visa programs for its citizens with an offer to repatriate tens of thousands of Indians staying illegally in the US.
Bloomberg reported that US officials have so far identified 18,000 illegal immigrants from India that they want to deport, although some believe the number may ultimately be higher.
Historically, India has been cooperative with the US on repatriations, but the move appears to come as a precursor to President Trump amid concerns that his administration will tighten visa requirements and trade policy.
Late last year, elements of Trump's base split over the H-1B visa program, which creates a way for specialized workers to live in the United States and hold key jobs. About 72% of the 386,000 H-1B visas granted in 2023 came from Indian citizens, according to government data.
Amid the infighting, Trump revealed his intention to support the program. But there are other visas such as student visas that India hopes will remain open as well, according to Bloomberg.
Then there are persistent fears that Trump may increase tariffs against India. New Delhi has a higher tariff gap with the US, ahead of Mexico and Canada, according to a Moneycontrol analysis.
Overall, illegal immigration from India accounted for about 3% of border encounters, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
However, illegal immigration from India to the United States has remained at high levels in recent years, particularly due to increased crossings from the northern US border.
The Department of Homeland Security previously estimated that about 220,000 illegal immigrants from India will live in the United States in 2022.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Marco Rubio met with his counterpart External Affairs Minister Subramaniam Jaishankar on Tuesday after taking oath as the country's top diplomat.
Concerns about illegal immigration were also raised during the meeting, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Jaishankar affirmed the shared commitment to continue strengthening the partnership between the United States and India,” the reading explained.
“Secretary Rubio also emphasized the Trump administration’s desire to work with India to strengthen economic ties and address concerns regarding illegal immigration.”
A spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs also confirmed that New Delhi and Washington are cooperating on illegal immigration.
“As part of the Indo-US cooperation on immigration and mobility, both sides are engaged in an operation to deter illegal migration. This is being done to create more avenues for legal migration from India to the United States,” government spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told Bloomberg.
“The recent deportation of Indian nationals from the United States on a charter flight is a result of this cooperation.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had established close relations with Trump during the latter's first administration.
Trump criticized tariff threats against neighboring Mexico and Canada, as well as China.
The newspaper reached out to the White House, the State Department, and the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.
