Indian parents denied entry into US amid Donald Trump's immigration crackdown over missing return ticket

The parents of an Indian couple residing in the United States were denied entry upon arriving at Newark Airport, as Donald Trump's strict immigration policies took effect, leaving many Indians in the country feeling uneasy.

According to a report, the parents had arrived at Newark Airport but they were asked to stay back for not having a return ticket. They were told that a return ticket was necessary for entry into the US.

Details of the case

The couple had plans to stay with their kids for five months, a News9 report said. The authorities but sent the couple back to India for not having a return ticket.

Crackdown on illegal immigrants

Donald Trump promised a crackdown on illegal immigration during the election campaign and began his second term with a flurry of executive actions aimed at overhauling entry to the United States. Also Read | To avert trade war, India ready to repatriate its 18,000 illegal migrants from the US: Report

Crackdown against immigrants: Broader Implications

As Donald Trump administration has escalated the crackdown on the illegal immigrants, Indians living in the United States have started to quit their ‘undocumented’ part-time jobs to escape attention for the fear of deportation.

Many students in the US on F-1 visas, which permit them to work up to 20 hours a week, rely on part-time jobs to cover their daily expenses. However, as the US government tightens its immigration policies, fear of deportation has forced many of these students to quit their jobs.

Panic among Indians

Even Indians who are in the US on temporary H1-B visas have started to panic over changes in the immigration policies.

Earlier in the day, the US administration arrested over 500 immigrants and deported hundreds for living in the US illegally.

Mass deportation

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump's administration on Thursday "arrested 538 illegal immigrant criminals," adding "hundreds" were deported by military aircraft.

“The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway,” she said in a post on social media platform X.