New Delhi: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington’s new immigration policy is designed to curb illegal immigration and is not targeted at Indians.
Rubio, who is in Delhi ahead of the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting, met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday. During the talks, Jaishankar flagged concerns over H-1B visas and immigration procedures affecting Indians.
Jaishankar said the sharp increase in H-1B application fees has caused anxiety among Indian IT professionals and stressed the need to simplify visa processes and reduce delays. The two leaders later addressed the media together.
Rubio said the contribution of Indians to the US economy cannot be ignored, noting that Indians have invested more than ₹1.70 lakh crore in the United States. He added that with more than 20 million people living in the US illegally, the new policy is aimed at stopping unlawful entry, while lawful applicants have not been blocked.
Jaishankar said India would cooperate with the US to prevent illegal immigration, but emphasised that qualified Indians should not be adversely affected by the new policy. He reiterated that issues related to visa bottlenecks and delays were conveyed to Rubio.
