The US State Department said on Monday that it would impose visa sanctions on proprietors and administrators of Indian tour companies found to have "knowingly" promoted illegal immigration into the United States. This development is the latest measure by Washington to counter the rising tide of unauthorized migration.
Currently, there is no definite information regarding how many people or agencies will be impacted by these restrictions. The US State Department reaffirmed its intention to hold accountable violators of American law, including those who facilitate illegal immigration.
A US Embassy official stated, "We cannot give a list of people or travel agencies the United States is taking action to impose visa sanctions against owing to visa record confidentiality."
The action follows the deportation of more than 300 Indians this year through three military flights—a first by Washington—and approximately 50 more to Panama. The Indian side is yet to react to this recent US statement. The majority of deportees are from Punjab and Gujarat and were allegedly sent overseas using elaborate "donkey routes" facilitated by travel agents. A Hindustan Times special investigation on January 5 reported that deportees paid anything between ₹30 lakh and ₹45 lakh, using routes like India-Dubai-Colombia-Panama-Costa Rica-Guatemala-Mexico-US and India-Dubai-Brazil-Guyana-Ecuador-Colombia-Panama-Mexico-US.
In a statement, the US State Department indicated that it is proceeding with measures to "impose visa restrictions on owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies based and operating in India for knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to the United States."
We will continue to take action to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to sever alien smuggling networks," the statement further added, noting that these visa restrictions apply worldwide—even to Visa Waiver Program eligibles.".
The consular affairs section of the US Embassy and the Diplomatic Security Service "work throughout our Embassy and Consulates to proactively identify and target individuals involved in operating illegal immigration and human trafficking and smuggling operations," the release added.
The immigration policies of the US government are designed to inform foreign nationals of the dangers of illegal immigration and to "hold accountable individuals who violate our laws, including facilitators of illegal immigration." The enforcement of these laws is essential to preserving the rule of law and keeping Americans safe.
Earlier this year, the Indian government firmly stated its opposition to illegal immigration because it is linked to organized crime. It also promised to repatriate all Indians who are overstaying or do not have proper papers in the US. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that New Delhi is ready to cooperate with the Trump administration to address all the problems associated with illegal immigration. He further stated that although it is "premature" to estimate the illegal Indian immigrants in the US, the government will strive to help them return.
Sources close to the matter, who asked not to be named, said that according to US Department of Homeland Security figures, there are almost 18,000 illegal Indian immigrants in the US, with almost 1,000 being deported by the end of 2024.
However, the military deportations sparked controversy as women and children were reportedly handcuffed and shackled during the flights—a concern raised by Indian officials with their US counterparts.
Ritesh Desai, proprietor of Ahmedabad-based overseas student admission consultancy Ryna Overseas, welcomed the US government's continued efforts to stem illegal immigration from India. Desai termed these as part of a long-term pursuit. Referring to a visit by a US diplomatic security officer to his office in 2013–14, Desai said that the officer was looking for information on local illegal immigration patterns and collection points in Mehsana, which is a hotspot for such activities.
"As a company that arranges authentic student admissions overseas, we will wholeheartedly support any action that preserves the integrity of the process," Desai explained.
He also mentioned the ill-effect unauthorized immigration has had on genuine students. A year and a half ago, various Australian universities briefly suspended applications from certain Indian states, such as Gujarat, for fear of illegal immigration, but these suspensions were later lifted after review.
Kuljit Singh Hayer, head of the Punj-Aab Travel Agents Association, appreciated the US initiative but suggested that it would be difficult to enforce practically. "First and foremost, how will they identify or produce on record the travel agencies dealing in illegal immigration to the US? The concerned travel agents dealing in such illegalities are registered under dummy names," he said.
Hayer, however, described the effort as arduous, noting that with the deportation of hundreds of young Indians, fewer than a dozen FIRs have so far been registered in India against travel agents, most of which were against unidentified persons.
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