Cong tells PM Modi to speak to 'friend' Trump as US gives ultimatum to foreign students

In a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Congress attacked the Centre on US government's decision to deport foreign students including those from India if their courses have moved online. Terming it as a "diplomatic failure", Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have resolved the issue with his 'friend' Donald Trump. He also slammed the Centre over Kuwait's expat quota bill that seeks to reduce the number of foreign workers in the Gulf country and has been approved by its National Assembly committee.

Singhvi said that Government of India was sleeping and opined that Prime Minister Modi should travel to Kuwait and the US to help the Indian workers and students and solve the matter with the respective countries. Singhvi also slammed the government on the H1B Visa issue, saying that it will impact nearly 85,000 workers who were issued H-1B visas this year out of 2,25,000 applicants.

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"India and Indians have been insulted at the international level. Indians who have brought name and fame to the country with their hard labour are being targeted globally and the government is doing nothing about it. The PM should have travelled to the USA and Kuwait, leaving aside everything, and sought immediate reversal of these policies that affect Indians," he said.

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ICE's decision on foreign students 

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday issued a statement that stated that foreign students will not be allowed to remain in the country if all of their classes have moved online. The statement read: "Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States. The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States.

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The statement added: "Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status. If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings."

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