As the Trump administration embarks on a rigorous enforcement of immigration laws, anxiety permeates India, a major contributor to undocumented immigration to the United States.
India Faces Immigration Anxiety Amid Trump Administration's Policies
India Faces Immigration Anxiety Amid Trump Administration's Policies
Concerns grow in India as the Trump administration intensifies its immigration crackdown, affecting families with ties to undocumented migrants.
In the Mehsana district of Gujarat, the local community is acutely aware of the challenges posed by this political climate. Take, for instance, the family who recently visited a local temple, gift in hand — dried milk and clarified butter as a prayer for their son's safety after he crossed the U.S. border just as Donald Trump assumed office, pledging a severe crackdown on illegal immigration.
The memory of migration is etched across villages in Gujarat, where the contributions of Indians living abroad are celebrated with plaques on public buildings. Many families have homes that stand empty, their inhabitants now in the United States, some undocumented. The ramifications of Trump's tough immigration stance have resonated beyond Mexico and Central America, sending waves of fear and uncertainty throughout India.
India ranks among the leading sources of undocumented migrants to the U.S., with an estimated 700,000 living there as of 2022, according to the Pew Research Center. This statistical analysis ranks undocumented Indians as the third highest demographic in the U.S. behind Mexicans and Hondurans. Despite some arriving legally before overstaying their visas, a considerable number have attempted unauthorized entry — U.S. government statistics reveal that about 90,000 Indians were arrested trying to enter the country unlawfully in 2023.
The backdrop of these troubling statistics highlights the impending concerns within Indian communities, as both legal and illegal pathways to the U.S. come under closer scrutiny. The fear among families lingers, especially in the light of Trump's promises for mass deportation and stringent immigration regulations, driving home the uncertainty of their loved ones' futures in a new land.
The memory of migration is etched across villages in Gujarat, where the contributions of Indians living abroad are celebrated with plaques on public buildings. Many families have homes that stand empty, their inhabitants now in the United States, some undocumented. The ramifications of Trump's tough immigration stance have resonated beyond Mexico and Central America, sending waves of fear and uncertainty throughout India.
India ranks among the leading sources of undocumented migrants to the U.S., with an estimated 700,000 living there as of 2022, according to the Pew Research Center. This statistical analysis ranks undocumented Indians as the third highest demographic in the U.S. behind Mexicans and Hondurans. Despite some arriving legally before overstaying their visas, a considerable number have attempted unauthorized entry — U.S. government statistics reveal that about 90,000 Indians were arrested trying to enter the country unlawfully in 2023.
The backdrop of these troubling statistics highlights the impending concerns within Indian communities, as both legal and illegal pathways to the U.S. come under closer scrutiny. The fear among families lingers, especially in the light of Trump's promises for mass deportation and stringent immigration regulations, driving home the uncertainty of their loved ones' futures in a new land.
