Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut launched a fiery attack on the United States over its latest proposal to curb student visa durations and suggested that India should retaliate strongly by sending Americans "back in shackles."
Raut’s comments come in response to a controversial proposal by the former Trump administration, which seeks to limit visa validity for foreign students, including those from India.
“PM Modi should send people from the US living in India back to their country in shackles," Rajya Sabha MP Raut said.
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Raut's reaction follows Donald Trump administration's proposal to limit the amount of time that foreign students can remain in the country without being subjected to additional screening. The draft rule was proposed this week by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
What does the new rule state?
Under the new rules, the DHS sought to limit the time that student visa holders can stay in the US to a maximum of four years, or the duration of their course, whichever is shorter.
{{/usCountry}}Under the new rules, the DHS sought to limit the time that student visa holders can stay in the US to a maximum of four years, or the duration of their course, whichever is shorter.
{{/usCountry}}To extend their stay beyond this period, student visa holders will have to apply directly to the DHS for an extension of stay (EOS).
According to the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) issued by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the DHS aims to amend its regulations to ensure that F, J, and I nonimmigrants are admitted for a specific time period rather than indefinitely as long as they comply with the terms of their status.
The proposed changes come in response to concerns about oversight and national security.
DHS highlighted that the current system, which allows admission for "duration of status" without a fixed end date, "does not afford immigration officers enough predetermined opportunities to directly verify that aliens are engaging only in authorised activities."
DHS said the changes would allow immigration officers to "periodically and directly assess whether nonimmigrants are complying with the conditions of their classifications and US immigration laws."