H1B visa ban, Indian deportation... Trump forgets the message of the Statue of Liberty, America's symbol, ground report

US Indian Deportation: The Trump administration is continuously targeting immigrants. The US has imposed several restrictions on H1B visas. Furthermore, illegal immigrants from many countries around the world, including Indians, have been deported.

Washington:The Donald Trump administration's strict immigration policies in the United States contradict the message of asylum for all, embodied by the Statue of Liberty, which has stood in New York Harbor for more than a century as a global symbol of freedom, liberty, and hope and opportunity for the oppressed and oppressed. History tells us that on October 28, 1886, nearly 140 years ago, the Statue of Liberty was erected on Liberty Island in the Hudson River in New York to send a message to immigrants arriving by sea from around the world that America's doors are open to all. The

pedestal of this statue, gifted to the United States by France, bears the immortal lines from American poet Emma Lazarus' poem "The New Colossus," which read, "Send to me refuge all the weary, the poor, the oppressed, and those yearning for freedom, all the world." My land is a land of opportunity, where every human being may live in freedom and dignity.’ These lines are seen as a beautiful expression of the Statue of Liberty’s original spirit, inviting oppressed people from around the world to seek refuge in America.

Trump's new immigration policies

President Donald Trump's new immigration policies completely contradict this defining message. Through numerous executive orders and administrative measures, the government is attempting to curb both legal and illegal immigration. This includes tightening visa regulations and continuing to apprehend and deport illegal immigrants. In a statement issued on September 23, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) made it clear that the era of open borders in the United States is over.

According to DHS, two million illegal immigrants left the United States between January 20th and July. Of these, approximately 1.6 million were voluntarily deported, while more than 400,000 were forcibly deported. The administration and Trump supporters are defending these policies by arguing that immigration control is essential for national security and job security for the American people. They argue that the ideals represented by the Statue of Liberty can remain relevant only when they are reconciled with practical measures to protect national interests.

History of Immigrants in America

Ellis Island is located a short distance from the Statue of Liberty. It houses a museum depicting the history of immigration to America. Ellis Island was America's first immigration processing center. Between 1886 and 1924, 14 million immigrants entered the United States through this island. The first of these immigrants was 17-year-old Annie Moore from Ireland. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, a non-governmental organization that studies immigration in the United States, the latest government-conducted population survey estimated that by January 2025, the total foreign-born immigrant population in the United States, including both legal and illegal immigrants, had reached approximately 5.4 million, representing 15.8 percent of the total US population. This is the highest level of immigrant population ever recorded.

As the American population structure changed and employment opportunities became limited, changes became evident in the country's centuries-old liberal policy toward immigration. Governments from both Democratic and Republican parties began monitoring the entry of immigrants. The country's conservative Republican Party fueled nationalist thinking on this issue. In this presidential election, Donald Trump made immigration a key issue in his campaign.

The contribution of immigrants to America's progress

Critics of the Trump administration's restrictive immigration policies argue that these measures undermine the moral foundation that has established America's global reputation as a land of hope and optimism for more than a century. They argue that immigrants who came here with a strong determination to achieve have contributed significantly to America's progress. If such individuals who seek a better life are rejected today, the country's global image as a symbol of freedom, development, and progress will be tarnished.

PC:NBT