"Since Jan 2025, 1080 Indians have been deported; 62% have come on commercial flights": MEA on US deportations

New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday informed that India has close cooperation with the United States on migration issues, particularly the deportation of Indian nationals with illegal status.

It added that, since January 2025, approximately 1080 Indians have been deported from the United States, with around 62 per cent returning on commercial flights.

Speaking in a weekly briefing on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that, "We have close cooperation between India and the United States on migration issues, on deportation of Indian nationals who are either in illegal status there or who travel illegally; we take them back once we receive details about them."

"The update on the numbers is that since January of 2025, we have some 1080 Indians who have come back or who have been deported from the United States. Of these, around 62 per cent have come on commercial flights," he added.

Jaiswal also noted that India has seen reports suggesting the US government's updated guidance regarding Student and Exchange Visitor visa applicants.

In response, MEA highlighted that the welfare of Indian students abroad remains of "utmost priority" to the Government of India and India will "continue" to follow further developments in this regard.

"While we note that issuance of a visa is a sovereign function, we hope that the application of Indian students will be considered a merit, and they will be able to join their academic programs on time," Jaiswal added.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consular offices to stop scheduling new visa interviews for student applicants as the Donald Trump administration is considering strict vetting of applicants' social media profiles, Politico reported.

This directive, laid out in a cable obtained by Politico, would broaden the application of existing vetting procedures to restrict foreign students' entry to American schools and colleges.

"Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days," the cable states. ("Septel" is State Department shorthand for "separate telegram.")

While the cable does not detail what social media activity will be reviewed, it refers to executive orders focused on counterterrorism and antisemitism, Politico reported. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)