US Intensifies Visa Checks For Immigrants
Recently, two Indian students from the Telugu community were taken into custody by federal agents at a store in St Louis Park and questioned for several hours over alleged visa issues, before they were later released: Reports
HYDERABAD: With the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) intensifying searches and detentions in the United States, several Indian nationals were briefly taken into custody by United States immigration authorities.
During a week-long enforcement operation that took place in Minnesota, Texas and California, agents took tens of people into custody, including many Telugu-speaking persons.
According to media reports, the raids included stops at workplaces and public areas where individuals were questioned about their immigration status, with the enforcement agency conducting one of the largest enforcement operations in Minnesota.
Recently, two Indian students from the Telugu community were taken into custody by federal agents at a store in St Louis Park and questioned for several hours over alleged visa issues, before they were later released. Several other Indian and Telugu community members were also taken into custody in Minneapolis, and across the state of Minnesota.
One of the persons detained was an H-1B visa holder working at a tech firm in Minnesota. Speaking with Deccan Chronicle, he said, “At 10 am, I walked into my office and logged in, and minutes later two agents came and took me away without warning.”
“They didn’t say anything when I was asking questions, but they handcuffed me and took me to a detention center. There, they asked me questions about my employment, my education and how I came to the states. This questioning went on for nearly 4 hours”, he said.
“They were already checking my documents. After the questioning they put me in a room, where another officer said I have to wait as they are cross-checking the documents. I waited for three more hours, and they said I was free to go,” he added.
Elsewhere in the state, the two students, also Telugu speaking persons, were released later on the same day after their documentation was checked and clarified. They were reportedly asked for documents and proofs, and after verification were released from detention.
Police officials, sheriff counties and departments across the country are affiliating with ICE to conduct more searches. Texas’ Denton County sheriff's office recently teamed up with ICE for a new initiative where the police deputies can perform some immigration enforcement officer duties.
Immigration experts said that during such enforcement operations, agents may detain people to verify identity and immigration status, but if all documents and proofs are provided accurately, they will be released. They also urged both non-immigrants and immigrants to not participate in any illegal activities, and keep their documentation clear to avoid any trouble.