Newly appointed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on January 21, 2025 to discuss Indo-US ties. In their first bilateral meeting, the two sides expressed a shared commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation by focusing on emerging technologies, defence, energy and the Indo-Pacific region. Notably, the issue of ‘irregular migration’ was highlighted in the official US readout of the meeting.
In an official statement by the US Department of State, it was noted that Secretary Rubio “emphasized the Trump Administration’s desire to work with India to advance economic ties and address concerns related to irregular migration”. Following this, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that India is against ‘illegal immigration’ and that the government is willing to take back deported Indians who have stayed in the United States without proper authorisation.
What is irregular migration?
The International Organization for Migration defines Irregular Migration as “Movement of persons that takes place outside the laws, regulations, or international agreements governing the entry into or exit from the State of origin, transit or destination.” Often, the use of terms like ‘irregular migration’, ‘illegal immigration’ and ‘illegal aliens’ is underpinned by political biases and agendas. For instance, Gil Guerra highlights how ‘irregular migration’ may include ‘illegal migration’ but also includes people crossing over to seek asylum
