US labels India as “uncooperative” as 18,000 Indians face deportation

The United States has labeled India as "uncooperative" in deportation processes, citing delays in verifying the citizenship of undocumented Indian nationals and issuing travel documents, NDTV reports.

A total of 17,940 undocumented Indians in the United States face the risk of deportation, according to data revealed ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's January 20th inauguration, the report says.

Those Indians are among the 1.445 million individuals with final orders of removal, figures from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) show, according to the report.

For many of these undocumented Indians, securing legal status remains a major challenge, NDTV notes. Numerous individuals are caught in prolonged legal proceedings, with hearings often scheduled years into the future. In the past three years, ICE has apprehended an average of 90,000 Indian nationals each year trying to enter the US illegally.

A significant portion of the undocumented Indians facing deportation come from high-migration states of Punjab, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh, according to local immigration experts. India ranks 13th on ICE's list of 208 countries with undocumented immigrants in the US, following nations like Honduras and Guatemala. India is one of the few Asian countries on the list, alongside China, which has 37,908 undocumented nationals in the country, according to the report.

Compounding the issue, India has been labelled "uncooperative" by ICE due to delays in verifying citizenship and issuing travel documents for deportation, NDTV notes. The US expects countries to assist by confirming the nationality of their citizens, conducting interviews, and facilitating their return, either through commercial or charter flights. India is currently one of 15 nations classified as uncooperative, alongside Pakistan, China, Iran, and Venezuela.

ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) is responsible for enforcing US immigration laws, focusing on the identification, arrest, detention, and deportation of non-citizens who are in violation of those laws.

In a recent press release, NDTV reports, ICE underlines its focus on national security and public safety. The department was quoted as saying, "ERO officers prioritise enforcement actions based on agency and department priorities, funding, and capacity," adding their operations were flexible enough to address situations such as increases in border crossings, changes in US laws, and unforeseen events like pandemics or natural disasters.

The incoming Donald Trump administration has made clear that it will intensify efforts to remove undocumented immigrants. As part of his immigration policy, Trump has pledged to prioritise the deportation of individuals with final removal orders, including those from India. The president-elect has also talked about his plans to involve the US military in deportation efforts, framing illegal immigration as a national security threat that requires decisive action, NDTV adds.

After his re-election in November, Trump had reaffirmed his pledge to reduce both legal and illegal immigration, promising to strengthen deportation efforts as part of his wider plan.