Washington DC (National Times): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (Feb 13) addressed the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants from the United States, emphasizing that individuals residing unlawfully in foreign countries “do not have any legal right to be there.” His remarks came during a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump amid growing concerns in India over visuals of shackled Indian citizens being deported.
During his US visit, Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to taking back its citizens who are verified and found to be residing in the US illegally. “As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always maintained that those who are truly Indian citizens and are staying illegally will be taken back by India,” he said.
However, he pointed out that illegal immigration is just a symptom of a deeper issue—human trafficking. Modi highlighted that many of these individuals come from underprivileged backgrounds and are misled by false promises of a better future.
“These are people from ordinary families who are shown big dreams and deceived. Many of them are brought here through illegal means,” he stated.
The Indian Prime Minister called for a joint effort between India and the US to dismantle the networks facilitating human trafficking. “Our fight is not just against illegal immigration but against the entire ecosystem that thrives on human trafficking. Together, India and the US must work to uproot this system, and I am confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with us in this mission,” he concluded.
