Washington, May 19 (IANS) The United States on Monday announced visa restrictions against travel agencies, their owners and leading officials who knowingly facilitated the movement of migrants illegally into America.

This action was announced in a statement by Tammy Bruce, the US State Department spokesperson. She shared no details of the number of identities of people and entities that had been slapped with these restrictions.

“The Department of State is taking steps today to impose visa restrictions on owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies based and operating in India for knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to the United States,” Bruce said.

She added: “Mission India’s Consular Affairs and Diplomatic Security Service work every day across our Embassy and Consulates to actively identify and target those engaged in facilitating illegal immigration and human smuggling and trafficking operations. We will continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks. Our immigration policy aims not only to inform foreign nationals about the dangers of illegal immigration to the United States but also to hold accountable individuals who violate our laws, including facilitators of illegal immigration.”

It was not immediately known how many travel agencies have been targetted by the US agencies for facilitating illegal immigration.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said that since President Donald Trump took office in January, the US has deported 682 Indians who were in the country. These could include both people who entered the US illegally or those who entered legally but overstayed their visa duration.

Bruce further said: “Enforcing US immigration laws and policies is critical to upholding the rule of law and protecting Americans”. She went on to say: “This visa restriction policy is global and even applies to individuals who otherwise qualify for the Visa Waiver Program. These actions are taken pursuant to section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”

–IANS

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