The Indian government has reportedly questioned the treatment of those studying in US whose visas have been revoked
New Delhi has reportedly voiced concerns about the revocation of visas of Indian students in the US ahead of US Vice President J.D. Vance’s trip to New Delhi, according to a report in The Hindu.
The vice president arrived in New Delhi on Monday for a three-day visit, where he will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The issue of the visas being cancelled came to light after a survey conducted by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) found that over 4,000 students had received revocation notices in the past two months; 50% of the survey respondents who received them were were from India.
The US has seen a surge in such visa terminations, which coincides with the introduction of a new AI-powered program- “Catch and Revoke”, reportedly aimed at identifying students with social media posts that may be deemed contrary to US foreign policy interests, the report said.
Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security is conducting a nationwide crackdown on students who have been flagged in police databases, resulting in the termination of their status due to alleged visa violations under US immigration laws. However, the US government has denied specifically targeting Indians with its actions on the issue.
#WATCH | Delhi: Vice President of the United States, JD Vance receives ceremonial Guard of Honour as he arrives at Palam airport for his first official visit to India. pic.twitter.com/eIuHmnG8kM
Earlier this month, two Indian researchers were among the initial group of students who received so-called “self-deportation” notices. New Delhi’s foreign ministry initially advised Indian students to “follow the law”. However, as more Indian students were affected, some have turned to the courts to appeal for the restoration of their visa status.
Recently, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian embassy and consulates are “in touch” with the affected students and are offering them support.
Other cases include a student facing potential deportation over a two-year-old traffic incident in New York and another having his visa suddenly revoked despite complying with conditions after a driving under the influence arrest in Missouri, an Economic Times report said.
Indian students are also facing potential legislation that could prevent them from staying in the US and working for a year after finishing their courses. A new bill proposes the elimination of a work authorization program for students, potentially affecting 300,000 of them.
