With Trump’s return to power in the United States, alarm bells have begun to ring for nearly 12.5 million people living there illegally. Among the issues on which Trump fought this election, the most prominent was the issue of illegal immigration. And as soon as he assumed the presidency, Trump took steps to deport people living illegally in the United States. Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, and there are plans to increase military deployment there. All of this is being done to prevent illegal entry into the United States. In line with this, walls and dams are also being constructed on the U.S. border.
Trump has also imposed restrictions on the law granting citizenship by birth. For the past 150 years, there has been a law in the United States that any child born on U.S. soil is considered an American citizen, regardless of whether their parents are U.S. citizens or not. But now Trump has mandated that for a child to gain citizenship by birth, at least one parent must be an American citizen.
During the elections, Trump raised the slogan of “America First” with great fervor, stating that all major jobs and positions in the U.S. should first and foremost go to Americans. He intends to remove non-Americans from these high-ranking jobs and positions and replace them with American citizens.
Approximately five million Indians live in the United States, most of whom hold high-ranking positions in major companies. Trump’s “America First” policy could prove detrimental for all of them. Similarly, there are approximately 750,000 Indians living illegally in the U.S. These individuals have paid agents between ₹5 million and ₹8 million to enter the U.S. illegally via “donkey routes.” The irony is that despite spending such huge amounts, they did not have the courage to start a business in India itself. For them, illegally going to America seemed better than starting a business and earning good money in India. Why did they lack faith in their own country, in the so-called “Ram Rajya” and “Amrit Kaal” being touted in India?
Between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024, over 90,000 Indians were arrested at the U.S. border for attempting to enter illegally. Of these, 50% are from Gujarat alone, the very state whose “Gujarat Model” is praised across the country.
If Trump truly takes strict action against those living illegally in the U.S., 750,000 Indians could be deported, 18,000 of whom are already on the final list of those set to be deported. These individuals sold their homes, lands, and farms or took loans to move to the U.S. in hopes of finding better job opportunities, repaying their debts, and leading a prosperous life. But what will happen if they are sent back to India? They have neither their lands nor any employment opportunities here, and they will be burdened by debt.
Ask those hateful, bigoted individuals who supported Trump merely because of his anti-Muslim stance—those who conducted rituals at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to ensure his victory. Will the media, which glorifies Modi-Trump friendship, talk about the danger looming over these 750,000 Indians?
The same people who supported the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that grants and revokes citizenship based on religion, the ones who demand papers from Muslims in India and accuse them of being Bangladeshis and Rohingyas—how will they now oppose Trump?
Whether it’s the restriction on “citizenship by birth” in the U.S. or the implementation of “citizenship by religion” (CAA) in India, both are wrong and inhumane. Any person who believes in peace and justice cannot consider one wrong and the other right. If someone does, they need to confront their inner Islamophobia and remove the lens of hatred toward Muslims to see things clearly.
