Hope this bridge will not only continue, but will be stronger: US envoy on immigration

US envoy remarks during an interview to PTI at the American Center here come ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump assuming office in January.

New Delhi: Highlighting accomplishments of Indian-origin CEOs of top tech firms, US envoy Eric Garcetti on Monday said they came to his country because of "immigration opportunities" and asserted that it was his hope and a strong recommendation to not only "continue this bridge" but to make it "even stronger".

His remarks during an interview to PTI at the American Center here come ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump assuming office in January.

With the imminent transition of power and the Trump 2.0 administration set to take charge after his resounding victory in the US election, a common question on the minds of many Indians is if there will be any change in visa policies in general and particularly for Indian students under the Republican administration.

"I know, President Trump feels very strongly about India. He and Prime Minister Modi have a great relationship. So, it will certainly be my hope and it will be my strong recommendation to not only continue this bridge, but to make it even stronger.

"Bring more Americans to India, don't cut off any of the bridge from India to the United States, we only benefit from it," Garcetti said when asked if there could be any change in visa policies by the new Trump administration.

Immigration and inflation were among the top issues in the recently-held US election that witnessed a historic comeback of Trump, who had made action against illegal immigrants a major plank in his high-octane campaigning.

The envoy underlined how immigration has enriched life in the US over the decades, including through the contribution of immigrants from India who have excelled in their profession.

"When we see CEOs of companies like Google and Microsoft, who came because of immigration opportunities, when we see Indians who return here with a US education, who are leaders in government, leaders in commerce and industry, leaders in medicine and research. We know the world can be better when we have fewer barriers," Garcetti told PTI.

"And, it's been a bipartisan approach, Republican and Democratic presidents alike have strengthened this bond.

"So, it's certainly my hope and my recommendation, we can't predict the future, but regardless of all the talk about building walls in the world, I want to continue to see this be a bridge with a giant open door between the United States and India," he added.

The US ambassador to India also spoke of the education cooperation between the two countries and said, "We are friends" with "aligned hearts".

"I think, our people-to-people ties are always the foundation of our relationship. Our leaders get along great, they like each other, they are pushing this relationship. But, they really reflect what we feel on the streets, the streets of America, the streets of India," he said.

"We are friends, we have aligned hearts, we look at the world similarly, and now this is reflected in education. And, Indians are the number one source of international students to United States universities. This is the second year running. We have seen an increase of 50 per cent just in the last two years," the US envoy added.

According to the Open Doors Report 2024 released on Monday, the number of Indian students studying in the US in the academic year 2023-24 is at an "all-time high" at 3,31,602, a rise of 23 per cent from 2022-23 when the number stood at 2,68,923.

Garcetti said thousands of Indian students have got their tickets, their opportunity to go to great universities in the US, and learn things that they will be able to bring back to "an India that has soared".

In 2023, the US Mission in India had processed a record 1.4 million visas overall.

On the latest Open Doors report, he said, "I am confident, in our lifetimes, we will never see these numbers go down. I think, there is such a great connection between the US and India. By the way, the report also shows a 300 per cent increase in the number of US students coming to India." He said he wanted to see more American students coming to India, just as "I am excited to see Indian students coming to the US".

They might be in science and technology, engineering, maths and medicine, like the "STEMM work that we are doing here".

"It's also in other places, they are learning public administration, they are learning civic engineering to be able to help in the growth of cities, they are confronting climate change and some of the challenges we have, and especially we are seeing more women applying," he said.

Garcetti said it is "incredibly impressive" and reflects not just great universities and ambitious and talented students, but also "our relationship, that we see, we have the same values, we look at the future the same way".

India and the US "want to attack the same challenges that we face", from climate change to health to emerging technologies like AI, together, and make sure that their democracies are "guiding these values", he added.

On trendlines for visa, the envoy said, "We expect a record number of visa adjudications this year. We are certainly on pace for that. Last year, the overall visa adjudication was about 1.4 million.

"The student visas, certainly are one of the largest jumps... One of the things we have done for student appointments, I know there is wait-time for first-time tourist and business visas, even though it has been reduced, still it is a little longer than we would all want."