harsh-immigration-measures-unlikely-to-deter-indians

There is nothing new about “illegal” immigrants being deported to India from the United States. As a military plane carrying 104 migrants landed at Guru Ram Dass International Airport on Wednesday, the debate over “illegal” immigration has further intensified. The United States has been regularly deporting “illegal” immigrants whenever they are found, sending them back to their home countries, including India. This has happened during the Obama and Biden administrations and even before that. Some passengers being deported on mere suspicion directly from the airport in the US is not an unusual sight.

 

However, given the hype that Donald Trump has attached to identifying and deporting illegal immigrants, it is being perceived as if it is happening for the first time. Moreover, this was not unexpected after Trump’s victory. He had made it clear before the elections that “illegal” immigrants would be deported on a war footing. It is no surprise that he is using military services, including military aircraft, for deporting people. The one carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants was also a military aircraft.

 

Also read: Will Trump’s aggressive tariff wars backfire on the US?

 

Not surprisingly, most of those deported in the first batch belong to Punjab and Gujarat, two states that send a large number of emigrants abroad, particularly to the United States. However, whether such rigorous and harsh measures will truly deter Indians, especially Punjabis and Gujaratis, from taking chances again remains uncertain. Most of those who choose to emigrate to the US “illegally” are already prepared for the worst. Even now, it is clear that deporting every single “illegal” immigrant from the US will be nearly impossible. Only those who are unlucky and get identified may end up returning home.

 

A significant number of Indians settled in the US who obtained permanent residency or citizenship did not take the “normal route”. Some overstayed their student or visitor visas, while others used the “donkey route” and still managed to make the US their permanent home. There are various ways, including marriage with a US citizen, to acquire citizenship. Interestingly, some people even opt for “same-sex marriages” for citizenship purposes without necessarily being homosexual. These marriages, whether with the opposite sex or the same sex, often turn out to be marriages of convenience.

 

Gaining entry into the United States through legal means is one of the most difficult processes. Even securing an appointment with the US embassy for a visitor visa can take up to a year. Moreover, there is no guarantee of approval, as the rejection rate is very high. One of the main legal ways to enter the US is through a student visa, although education there is highly expensive. Highly skilled professionals, such as doctors and engineers, have a better chance of emigrating.

 

Despite these challenges, there is no shortage of people still aspiring to go to the US by any means. Donald Trump’s strict anti-immigration policies may not discourage many aspirants, who already anticipate the risks involved. The rush for the US may slow down temporarily, but it is unlikely to end altogether. These policies may only increase the cost, as risks have always been present. Entering the US has never been easy, even before Trump. The difference now is that there is greater media attention and political hype surrounding it.

 

Even within the US, it may not be easy for the Trump administration to sustain such harsh “anti-immigrant” measures in the long run. His government may soon start facing resistance. He has already paused tariffs on Canada and Mexico, showing that economic realities often temper strict policies. Over time, his administration will likely struggle with the challenges of identifying and deporting “illegal” and “undocumented” immigrants.

 

Another major factor that could deter Trump in the long run is the US economy’s heavy reliance on undocumented immigrant labour. Sectors such as agriculture and construction are significantly dependent on these workers. As more and more people get deported, the country may face severe labour shortages. It is not as if the “illegal” immigrants in the US are there for leisure. They work hard—perhaps even harder than the local population. The forced removal of such a massive workforce from the US could create an economic crisis, particularly in labour-intensive industries.

 

In the long term, Trump may eventually have to slow down these deportations, even if he does not completely revoke them, as his anti-immigration stance was a major part of his campaign. He has argued that “illegal” immigrants are stealing jobs from local workers. However, the reality is that most of these immigrants are filling labour gaps rather than taking jobs from American citizens. The sooner Trump realises this, the better it will be for both the US economy and those unfortunate individuals who, after enduring immense hardships to reach the US, now face the harsh prospect of being thrown out.

 

Donald Trump may have scornfully dismissed the passionate plea made by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde at the Washington National Cathedral during his inaugural service against forcibly evicting people who have contributed to building America. However, in time, those words of compassion and empathy may begin to haunt him.

 

“The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labour in poultry farms and meat-packing plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals, they… may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals," she was quoted as saying by a media agency.

 

After all, America is a nation built by immigrants. The message against harsh anti-immigration policies is perhaps best captured in a popular meme depicting the Statue of Liberty leaving the country with her baggage, symbolising the irony of the current situation. The Statue of Liberty itself was imported from France, just as nearly every American originally came from different parts of the world.