New Delhi: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said the reforms and modernization of America’s visa and immigration system are not targeted specifically at India, but are part of a broader global overhaul aimed at addressing migration challenges faced by the United States.
Speaking during a joint press briefing in New Delhi, Rubio acknowledged the contribution of Indian companies and professionals to the American economy and emphasized that Washington wants economic engagement with India to continue expanding.
“I take and accept what you've just said about the contribution that Indians have made to the U.S. economy. Over $20 billion have been invested in the U.S. economy by Indian companies. We want that number to continue to increase, and obviously the expertise as well that they've provided to our economy has been very, very valuable,” Rubio said.
Addressing concerns surrounding changes in H-1B visas and immigration policies, the US Secretary of State clarified that the ongoing reforms are part of a worldwide restructuring of the US migration system.
“I don't want you to view, or anyone I made this point yesterday in an interview, the changes that are happening now or the modernization of our migration system into the United States is not focused, it's not India specific, it is global, it's being applied across the world,” he stated.
The US administration under President Donald Trump's second term restructured immigration policy making a massive structural changes in H1B Visa.
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant U.S. work visa that allows American employers to temporarily hire foreign professionals.
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Rubio said the United States is currently dealing with the consequences of a large-scale migration crisis, which prompted the administration to reform its immigration framework.
“We are in a period of modernization and I'll be frank and honest with you because it's important to talk about this. We've had a migratory crisis in the United States. This is not because of India but broadly we had million people illegally enter the United States over the last few years and we've had to address that challenge,” he said.
He further stressed that immigration policies, like all government decisions, are ultimately guided by national interest.
“In addition to that challenge, and I think this is true for India, this is true for every country in the world, okay, everything that you do as a country needs to be in your national interest and that includes your immigration policy,” Rubio added.
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Historically, Indian professionals constitute the largest share of H1B Visa approvals. As per the estimates, about 70 percent of H1B approvals go to the Indians. However, this share witnessed a major decline after Trump signed an executive order as part of his election promises to give priority to Americans in the private sector.
At the same time, Rubio described the United States as one of the world’s most welcoming countries for immigrants and permanent residents.
“The United States, I believe, is the most welcoming country in the world on immigration. You know, every single year a million people, roughly, become permanent residents of the United States and contribute greatly,” he said.
The remarks come amid growing discussions over US immigration reforms and their possible impact on Indian professionals and students, particularly those applying under H-1B and other skilled worker visa categories.
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