US slaps visa bans on Indian travel agents over illegal migration

Dubai: The US State Department has imposed visa restrictions on owners and staff of India-based travel agencies accused of facilitating illegal migration to the United States, Reuters reported on Monday.

According to a statement by department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, an unspecified number of unnamed individuals linked to Indian travel agencies are being targeted under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The visa bans are based on information gathered by the US mission in India.

The United States frequently imposes such restrictions without disclosing the identities of those involved.

"We will continue to take steps to impose visa restrictions against owners, executives, and senior officials of travel agencies to cut off alien smuggling networks," Bruce said, without offering specific details on how the agencies had facilitated illegal entry.

The move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on immigration and ongoing efforts to curb undocumented migration.

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi has regularly used its social media platforms to warn Indian nationals about overstaying their visas, cautioning that violators may face deportation and permanent entry bans.