Hyderabad:The Indian diaspora in the United States are urging all visa holders to carry soft copies of their visas and other important documents at all times, following growing concerns about detentions by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Speaking with Deccan Chronicle, Telugu community associations said that several Indians have been taken into custody by ICE officers in recent months, often due to missing or unclear documentation. They stressed that carrying digital or physical copies of passports, visas, and employment records can help them with avoiding trouble from authorities.
M. Rajesh, vice-president of a Telugu association in Dallas, said: “We spoke with multiple people who have been taken into ICE’s custody, and almost all of them were arrested because they could not show the documents to the authorities.”
“It’s very important for everyone, especially students, H-1B holders and temporary residents, to keep all of their identification documents and visa papers accessible. Having the passport or main visa forms in-person would be beneficial, but if not at least carrying the soft copies would help. Even a small delay in showing the documents to ICE can lead to complications”, he said.
Many Telugu residents said that ICE has increased its apprehensions in the recent weeks. Suresh Reddy, a software engineer from Hyderabad who is currently based in California said, “Recently one of my friends was questioned by ICE officers at his workplace. He did not have his visa documents, and he was taken to the detention centre.”
He further said, “His wife rushed to the detention centre and showed all the documents, and only then he was released. It was a very stressful experience for him.” He said that he has been carrying all documents and proofs ever since that incident.
Community groups are sharing awareness messages to its members, and are advising members to stay calm and comply with immigration laws. They also urged the Indian government and consulates to assist the people who are facing legal or visa-related issues in the US.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
