Sushma Swaraj Raises H-1B Visa Issue With US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

New Delhi, Sept 22: The issue of H1-B visa was raised by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday, on the sidelines of the United

Updated: September 23, 2017 2:32 AM IST

By India.com News Desk

Sushma Swaraj Raises H-1B Visa Issue With US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
अमेरिकी विदेश मंत्री रेक्स टिलरसन भारत पहुंचे

New Delhi, Sept 22: The issue of H1-B visa was raised by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Highlights

  • H1-B visa rules were amended by Trump regime in March, 2017.
  • The move adversely impacted scores of Indian IT professionals.
  • The abolition of DACA scheme, which impacts over 6,000 Indian immigrants, was also discussed.

The amendments in H1-B visa rules by President Donald Trump, in March this year, adversely affected the Indian IT professionals, who are among the top beneficiaries of the programme.

“EAM Sushma Swaraj strongly raised the issue of H-1B visa and children falling under DACA policy with Secretary Tillerson,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, was abolished by the Trump administration last month, claiming that the programme was detrimental to the interests of America.

The abolition of DACA, as per reports, impacts a total of 20,000 immigrants from South Asian-origin, including 6,000 from India.

The DACA scheme, introduced by former president Barack Obama in 2012, aimed at preventing deportation of illegal immigrants who entered the US as minors. The beneficiaries were provided a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation, along with a work permit.

The bilateral talks between Swaraj and Tillerson was the highest-level meet between the two nation, following the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump in June this year.

The Indian delegation which accompanied Swaraj for the bilateral meet included Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna. The American delegation included Acting Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wells and Lisa Curtis who heads the South Asia division in National Security Council of the White House.

The Swaraj-Tillerson meet comes a week before US Defence Secretary James Mattis arrives to India for an official visit.

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