Hyderabad: Members of the Indian community in the United States are encouraging all visa holders to keep digital copies of their visas and other important documents handy. This call comes amid rising concerns over detentions by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Community leaders from Telugu associations have reported that several Indians have recently been detained by ICE, often due to missing or unclear paperwork. They emphasize that having both physical and digital copies of passports, visas, and job records can help avoid complications with authorities.
M. Rajesh, the vice president of a Telugu association in Dallas, shared, “We’ve talked to many people who have been detained by ICE, and nearly all of them didn’t have proper documents to show.”
He underlined the importance for everyone—especially students and those on H-1B visas—to keep all identification and visa paperwork accessible. “Having your passport or main visa documents on hand is crucial. If they’re not physically with you, at least having soft copies can make a difference. Even a brief delay in providing documents to ICE can lead to serious issues,” he stated.
Many members of the Telugu community have noticed an uptick in ICE operations recently. Suresh Reddy, a software engineer from Hyderabad now living in California, recounted an incident where a friend was questioned by ICE officers at his job. “He didn’t have his visa documents with him and was taken to a detention center.”
Reddy added, “His wife quickly brought the documents to the detention center, and only then was he released. It was a really stressful situation for him.” Since then, he has made it a point to always carry his documents.
Community organizations are actively spreading awareness, advising members to remain calm and follow immigration rules. They are also appealing to the Indian government and consulates for support for those facing legal challenges related to their visas in the U.S.
