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India

More undocumented Indians attempt to enter the United States

During a speech in January, Georgia Congressman Rich McCormick said that Indian Americans are “some of the best a “streamlined” immigration process for those who have come to the United States to “obey the law, pay their taxes and be the most creative and productive in society.”

Although Americans of Indian origin are often presented in this manner as “model” migrants, an increased entry to the US in 2022, according to US Customs and Border Patrol data. In 2022, 63,927 undocumented Indians reached the US borders and sought asylum, which is more than double the previous year’s figure. The US southern border with Mexico is a common arrival point.

From October 2021 to September 2022, US border authorities stopped Indian migrants “18,300 times” at the US southern border, according to the Migration Policy Institute’s (MPI) 2022 report on Indian immigration to the US. This is a spike from 2,600 encounters recorded the previous year.

Lopita Nath, professor of history and Asian Studies at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, Indian arrivals could serve to tarnish the positive image of Indian immigration.

“If the numbers grow as exponentially as they are now, the Indian diaspora will not be very happy about it, because it gives a bad name to the legal migrants,” she said.

Canada, Australia must check extremist activities, says MEA

India has asked both Canada and Australia to ensure that their territories are not used for activities that threaten the safety of Indians as well as the security and national interest of the country. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday India condemned the recent incidents of vandalisation in Australia and had asked the Australian authorities to ensure that the Australian territory was not used for activities detrimental to Indian security, integrity and national interest. We have been repeatedly taking up with the Australian authorities our concerns about actions by extremist elements, including those that are proscribed terrorist organisations. —Arindam Bagchi, MEA spokesperson Assurance about the safety and well-being of Indian nationals in Canada also came from Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday in response to a question on instances of increasing hate crime and sectarian violence against Indians in Canada. The minister said India regularly took up with Canada untoward incidents affecting the Indian community and requested it to bring the perpetrators to justice after carrying out a proper investigation. The MEA as well as the Indian mission and consulates in Canada had issued regular advisories asking Indian nationals residing there to exercise due caution and remain vigilant, he said.

The Indian mission in Australia has gone on record to state that “signals that extremist elements are stepping up their activities in Australia, actively aided and abetted by members of proscribed terrorist organisations such as the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and other inimical agencies from outside Australia, have been evident for some time. The tensions in Australia have been exacerbated by a tilt in reporting by an online portal set by Australians who had earlier held Indian nationality.

AAP used kickbacks to fight Goa poll: ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has filed a supplementary chargesheet in the Delhi excise policy scam case in a special court here, alleged the investigation done so far revealed that the policy was created by top AAP leaders to continuously generate and channel illegal funds. The investigation of the trail of kickbacks in the case revealed that part of these funds was used in the AAP’s election campaign for the Goa Assembly elections in 2022. Cash payments to the tune of Rs 70 lakh were made to volunteers who were part of the survey teams, the agency alleged. The ED claimed AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair, an accused in the case, had “arranged a FaceTime call from his phone between IndoSpirit owner Sameer Mahandru, also an accused, and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, during which the latter told Sameer that Vijay was his boy and that Sameer should trust him and carry on with him”. It said on the behalf of AAP leaders, Nair received Rs 100 crore from “South Group” as advance for liquor licences. The agency maintained Nair, who orchestrated the entire scam, was not an ordinary AAP worker, but a close aide of Kejriwal and was closely working with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia for matters related to the excise policy.

NDP unprepared to support illicit drugs decriminalization policy – With just a day remaining until the of illicit drugs goes into effect in British Columbia, the NDP government remains unprepared to support the implementation of the experimental policy, which is the first of its kind in Canada.

Press release support B.C.’s exemption, including: treatment;

“The agreement to move forward the possession of small amounts of opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA for personal use, came with several conditions from the Federal government that the BC NDP have yet to meet,” said MLA Elenore Sturko, Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Addictions, and Recovery. “As the clock ticks down, there has been a conspicuous lack of clarity from David Eby’s NDP government about how B.C. will meet its obligations to roll out the policy, and what steps it’s taking to increase supports for those suffering from addiction.”

With less than 24 hours until the policy is set to take effect, B.C. has fallen short of meeting the very specific actions and commitments outlined in the Government of Canada’s Letter of Requirements to stakeholders and indigenous partners; communications; of the health and social systems; law enforcement; and applied research and evaluation models to measure the success of the program.

“Harm reduction efforts like comprehensive approach that’s needed to help put an end to this crisis that continues to claim six lives a day,” added Sturko. “Not only is the NDP unprepared to roll out this untried policy, but for the last five years, it’s also failed to place any emphasis on the implementation and funding of prevention, recovery, and treatment programs. People suffering from addiction must be able to immediately access the services they need when they need them, and that isn’t happening under the leadership of David Eby’s NDP.”

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