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Business Standard
17-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Won't tolerate illegal immigration: US to ban Indian officials involved
The United States has imposed new visa restrictions on foreign government officials and travel industry executives believed to be involved in facilitating illegal immigration into the country, including through its southwest border. In a statement shared on Monday, June 17, by the US Embassy in India via its official X account, the embassy said, 'We will not tolerate those who facilitate illegal and mass immigration to the United States.' The statement comes just days after a crackdown in California's Los Angeles, where federal immigration authorities targeted groups allegedly involved in mass smuggling operations. The US has imposed visa bans on Indian travel agency heads and foreign officials accused of aiding illegal immigration, warning of wider entry restrictions and penalties. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier, on March 5, 2025, announced that the new visa policy would apply to a wide set of individuals including: * Immigration and customs officials * Airport and port authority personnel * Foreign government officials * Others found to be 'knowingly facilitating the transit of aliens intending to illegally immigrate into the United States via the US Southwest border' 'The United States has established new visa restrictions targeting foreign government officials and others who do so,' Rubio said. The statement from the embassy added that criminal cartels involved in illegal immigration and smuggling had been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under the Trump administration. Countries refusing deportation may face wider entry bans The US also warned that governments that fail to repatriate their nationals could face broader immigration consequences. 'Governments that do not facilitate the repatriation of their nationals from the United States face serious consequences, including broad restrictions on entry to the United States for their nationals,' the embassy said. The embassy reiterated that while the US continues to welcome legitimate visitors, it 'cannot and will not tolerate illegal entry and abuse of visas or violation of US law.' Indian travel agents under scanner The latest move follows visa restrictions imposed last month on owners, executives, and senior officials of Indian travel agencies accused of knowingly helping individuals migrate illegally to the US. The US State Department said, 'Mission India's Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Security Service work every day across our Embassy and Consulates to actively identify and target those engaged in facilitating illegal immigration and human smuggling and trafficking operations.' It added, 'The US is taking steps 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.' The department said it would 'continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks.' In a separate statement, the department said that its immigration policy 'not only informs foreign nationals about the dangers of illegal immigration to the United States but also holds accountable individuals who violate our laws, including facilitators of illegal immigration.' It added that this visa restriction policy is global and applies even to individuals who would otherwise qualify under the Visa Waiver Programme.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. Announces Restrictions on Some India Travel Agencies
The United States has announced a ban on some travel agencies in India after also instituting a visa overstay crackdown. "The Department of State is taking steps today 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," the U.S. Department of State announced on May 19. The move comes shortly after the U.S. Embassy in India announced that people who overstay their visas in the U.S. could face a "permanent" ban on travel to the U.S. "Mission India's Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Security Service work every day across our Embassy and Consulates to actively identify and target those engaged in facilitating illegal immigration and human smuggling and trafficking operations," the May 19 release says. "We will continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks. Our immigration policy aims not only to inform foreign nationals about the dangers of illegal immigration to the United States but also to hold accountable individuals who violate our laws, including facilitators of illegal immigration," it adds. "Enforcing U.S. immigration laws and policies is critical to upholding the rule of law and protecting Americans. This visa restriction policy is global and even applies to individuals who otherwise qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. These actions are taken pursuant to section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act," the statement reads. NPR reported that the desire to migrate to the U.S. is so strong among some Indians that they pray at "visa temples" for the chance to do so. According to Pew Research, "An estimated 5.2 million people in the United States identified as Indian in 2023." Related: U.S. Embassy Warns of 'Permanent Ban' on Travel
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
US slaps visa ban on agencies facilitating illegal immigration
NEW DELHI: The US on Monday imposed a visa ban on errant Indian travel agencies and their owners who facilitate illegal immigration to the country. US State Department's statement on Monday said it's taking steps 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 US. "Mission India's consular affairs and diplomatic security service work every day across our embassies and consulates to actively identify and target those engaged in facilitating illegal immigration and human smuggling and trafficking operations. We will continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks," said the department, adding that US immigration policy aims to inform foreign nationals about dangers of illegal immigration and to hold accountable individuals who violate US laws. Following President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration, between Jan and early April this year, 682 Indian nationals had been deported to India. The vast majority of these deportees had attempted to enter the country illegally, but were apprehended at the US border itself. Centre told Parliament last month that it has been working with US authorities to promote mutually advantageous & secure mobility frameworks that allow for streamlining avenues for legal mobility of students and professionals. Govt has also been working to address illegal immigration and human trafficking by taking action illegal immigration networks . Ministry of external affairs, till Feb this year, had notified 3,281 illegal agents for facilitating illegal immigration and human trafficking. US embassy in New Delhi too has been alerting Indian nationals visiting the US not to overstay their authorised period of stay in the country, warning they will face deportation and a permanent ban from entering the country for doing so.
India Today
19-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
US moves to block visas for Indian travel officials over immigration violations
The United States announced on Monday that it is imposing visa restrictions on owners, executives, and senior officials of certain Indian travel agencies accused of knowingly aiding "illegal immigration" to the a statement, the State Department said: "Mission India's Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Security Service work every day across our Embassy and Consulates to actively identify and target those engaged in facilitating illegal immigration and human smuggling and trafficking operations.'advertisementThe State Department said that it is 'taking steps today 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', it said. The statement added that the US will 'continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks'."Our immigration policy aims not only to inform foreign nationals about the dangers of illegal immigration to the United States but also to hold accountable individuals who violate our laws, including facilitators of illegal immigration,' the State Department emphasized that enforcing US immigration laws and policies is critical to upholding the rule of law and protecting said this visa restriction policy is global and even applies to individuals who otherwise qualify for the Visa Waiver Programme.A US embassy official in New Delhi declined to disclose details on travel agencies and individuals affected by visa restrictions. They stated that specific information could not be InMust Watch
India.com
19-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
US Imposes Visa Restrictions On Indian Travel Agents, Agencies Facilitating Illegal Migration
In a fresh crackdown to curb illegal migration from India to the United States, the Donald Trump administration is now taking action against travel agents and agencies facilitating illegal migration. This comes months after the United States deported hundreds of Indians who reached America illegally. "The Department of State is taking steps today 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. Mission India's Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Security Service work every day across our Embassy and Consulates to actively identify and target those engaged in facilitating illegal immigration and human smuggling and trafficking operations," it said. The US Department of State said that it will continue to take such actions in future as well. "We will continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks. Our immigration policy aims not only to inform foreign nationals about the dangers of illegal immigration to the United States but also to hold accountable individuals who violate our laws, including facilitators of illegal immigration," it said. The US State Department said that enforcing US immigration laws and policies is critical to upholding the rule of law and protecting Americans. "This visa restriction policy is global and even applies to individuals who otherwise qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. These actions are taken pursuant to section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act," it said. The United States embassy located in New Delhi has consistently used its social media platforms to advise Indian citizens traveling to the US against remaining in the country beyond their permitted duration of stay. These posts explicitly caution that overstaying will result in deportation and a lifetime prohibition from future entry into the United States.
