Washington: Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the matter of unlawful immigration and reaffirmed India's commitment to returning verified migrants and combating human trafficking rings. The statement came in the backdrop of recent deportations of Indian citizens who had entered the US unlawfully. PM Modi pointed out the socio-economic challenges these migrants face and called for stronger international collaboration to address issues of trafficking and migration.
"...Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly citizens of India - if they live in the US illegally, India is ready to take them back. But it doesn't stop just there for us," said PM Modi.
#WATCH | Washington, DC: On the illegal immigration issue, PM Narendra Modi says, "...Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly the… pic.twitter.com/Qa0JEnAjyp
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2025
US crackdown on illegal migrants
It is worth mentioning that the US has ramped up efforts to tackle illegal immigration, leading to the deportation of numerous Indian nationals in the past few months. Many of these individuals used unofficial paths to enter the US, relying on human traffickers who charged hefty fees for their services.
The deportations have highlighted the growing issue of illegal migration from India, particularly from regions like Punjab and Gujarat, where people are driven by economic hardship to seek better prospects abroad. In response to these developments, Prime Minister Modi assured that India would support the return of individuals confirmed to be Indian citizens.
He emphasised that many of these migrants come from disadvantaged backgrounds and were misled by traffickers who promised them improved lives abroad. Modi’s statement reinforced India’s pledge to ensure the safe repatriation of its people while addressing the root causes of illegal migration.
Migrants are not criminals, they are victims: PM Modi
PM Modi expressed concern that many of these migrants were misled into taking dangerous journeys based on fraudulent promises. He stressed that these individuals should not be labelled as criminals but rather as victims of trafficking and deceptive schemes. The Prime Minister also called for more robust measures to prevent further exploitation and to facilitate their reintegration upon their return.
"These are people from ordinary families. They are shown big dreams and most of them are such who are misled and brought here. So, we should attack this entire system of human trafficking. Together, it should be the effort of the US and India to destroy such an ecosystem from its roots so that human trafficking ends...Our bigger fight is against that entire ecosystem and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem," added PM Modi.
One of the central themes of PM Modi’s comments was his government’s determination to dismantle the human trafficking rings that facilitate unlawful immigration. He promised that India would strengthen legal frameworks and work more closely with international partners to target these networks, with the goal of preventing further exploitation of vulnerable people.
Beyond cracking down on traffickers, Modi emphasised the need to dismantle the broader infrastructure that supports illegal immigration. He pledged India’s cooperation with global efforts to shut down these operations and to promote a lawful and regulated migration process.
(With inputs from agency)