The Indian Embassy in Washington has established contacts with the authorities in Oregon and New Mexico after more than 90 Indians were detained in federal prisons there for illegal entry into the United States.
Sources in New Delhi said a consular official had visited the detention facility in Oregon and another was scheduled to visit the facility in New Mexico. “We are monitoring the situation,’’ sources added.
Reports received here said 42 Indians were detained in a facility in New Mexico days after it emerged that more than 50 Indians were being detained in a federal prison in Oregon.
US immigration authorities do not automatically notify missions of the countries from where the detainees come. Indian officials approached the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after hearing from community leaders about the detainees.
More cases of Indians being detained are expected to come to light as the Donald Trump administration continues with its ‘zero tolerance’ enforcement of immigration laws.
It was not clear whether the detainees want any consular assistance or not. The detention centres allow detainees to contact anyone they want, but they can refuse to meet or talk to visitors. The news of the new batch of Indian detainees emerged from Indian Americans who spoke to them in recent days.
Indian officials tracking the developments said it was unclear when these people were detained. The ICE has provided Indian missions with names of the detained people in Oregon and New Mexico.