US deported 48 students back to India in 3 years. What are possible reasons?

The United States has deported 48 students back to India without any explanation in the past three years, said Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in the Parliament on Friday.

This came after BK Parthasarathi asked the External Affairs Ministry for data on the number of students deported by the USA over the last three years and the reasons behind it, Hindustan Times reported.

He also asked if the Government has any data on illegal migrants worldwide, particularly in the US, and if so, what measures are being taken to address this issue, as reported by Onmanorama and the official website of India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Kirti Vardhan Singh, during the Lok Sabha session, responded that in the past three years, 48 Indian students were deported without official reasons provided by the US authorities.

EAM on possible reasons of deportation 

However, he noted that potential causes for deportation could include “unauthorised employment, unapproved withdrawal from classes, expulsion and suspension, and failure to report Optional Practical Training (OPT) employments.” These issues can result in visa termination, rendering their stay illegal.

In response to the next set of questions, she stated that the Government of India is working on strengthening relationships between countries to facilitate the legal movement of its citizens, HT reported.

Additionally, the government is taking measures against individuals involved in illegal migration and is educating its citizens about safe and legal ways to move abroad at both central and state levels.

The total number of Indian students pursuing postgraduate studies in the US surged by 63 percent, reaching 1.65 lakhs, according to last year's Open Doors report.

The problem is not limited to the US, as Indian nationals in Canada, particularly students, were also deported. Fraudulent admission letters to Canadian academic institutions were one of the primary reasons behind the deportation of Indian students.