Amid US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigrants, The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said India is against illegal immigration not just in the United States, but anywhere in the world. While briefing a press conference, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We are against illegal immigration, especially because it is linked to several forms of organised crime. For Indians not just in the United States, but anywhere in the world, if they are Indian nationals and they are overstaying, or they are in a particular country without proper documentation, we will take them back provided documents are shared with us so that we can verify their nationality and that they are indeed Indians.”

“If that happens to be the case we will take things forward and facilitate their return to India,” he said.

Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar also made it clear that India is open to legitimate return of undocumented Indians who are staying in the United States. “We have always taken the view that if there are any of our citizens who are not here legally, if we are sure that they are our citizens, we have always been open to their legitimate return to India. So it’s not a position unique to the United States,” Jaishankar had said at a press conference in Washington DC.

Jaishankar, however, also emphasised that India is very much supportive of ‘legal mobility’ between two countries and wants Indian skills and talent to have great opportunities at the global level.