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New Delhi: The United States Embassy in India has delivered a blunt message to the thousands of international students currently in or heading to the US for studies. In a stern warning to Indian students, the embassy asked students to follow the law or face immediate expulsion.
The embassy posted the warning on X on Wednesday. It clarified that a US visa is a "privilege, not a right," and warned that any legal infraction, ranging from minor arrests to major violations, could have life-altering consequences for Indian nationals.
The 'zero tolerance' policy
The embassy’s warning outlines a "three-strike" consequence for those who find themselves on the wrong side of American law:
Immediate Revocation: Your student visa can be cancelled instantly upon arrest or violation.
Deportation: Violators face being forcibly removed from the country.
Future ineligibility: A single mistake could result in a permanent ban, making the individual ineligible for any US visa in the future.
This follows a similar warning issued last week targeting H-1B and H-4 work visa holders, emphasising that immigration law violations now carry significant criminal penalties under the current administration’s tightened scrutiny.
A cold front for international enrollment
The warning comes at a time when the "American Dream" appears to be cooling for many Indian students. Under the Donald Trump-led administration’s aggressive crackdown on both illegal immigration and the tightening of legal visa pathways, the numbers are plummeting.
17 per cent drop: New international student enrollments fell significantly last year.
Lowest since 2021: August 2024 data revealed a 19 per cent year-on-year dip in international arrivals, a trend largely driven by a sharp decline in students coming from India.
The H-1B logjam and the 'fruitless journey'
Beyond the classroom, skilled workers are also feeling the heat. H-1B applicants are currently navigating "unprecedented" wait times. Recent policy shifts have seen hundreds of visa appointments at U.S. consulates in India either cancelled or pushed back by several months.
The embassy also took a moment to address illegal migration, labelling the attempt to cross borders unlawfully as a "fruitless journey." Officials warned that those attempting to enter the US illegally are not finding opportunity, but are instead becoming targets for violent cartels, human traffickers, and corrupt officials.
"The only people who benefit from illegal immigration are traffickers," the embassy posted on X on January 2, urging students and workers to stick strictly to legal, regulated pathways.
