AIR spotlight summary on “Kansas Killing and safety of Indian Americans”.
Introduction
- Recently there was a shooting in Kansas City on two Indians. This was termed as a hate crime. The shooter shouted at the Indians “get out of my country” before opening the gun fire. Race has been an important component in American politics and culture. Gunnar Myrdal wrote a book “The American Dilemma” and there he looked at the entire racial equation. Another dimension to the problem is due to immigration. There are conflicts between normal residents and arriving immigrants
- This individual action may be due to his frustration but it is not acceptable in a civilised society. Many have expressed their concern about the safety of Indians who are going and working in US.
Protectionist policies and National Interest
- US is a nation and the primacy for the domestic concerns is bound to arrive at a particular time. Alexander Hamilton is the first protectionist in the world at the time of American Independence and subsequently. US did follow a protectionist policy; it was followed during the time of Abraham Lincoln. It all depends on the context of the competitiveness.
- Even India followed protectionist tendencies through import substitution. China and all the rising powers are also having their own concerns and so is the case with US. US is a sovereign nation and it has every right to control the process of migration and expel illegal migrants because the concerns of the citizens are the topmost.
- In Trump administration, both in the context of protectionism and building a wall between US and Mexico, it is the national interest and not identity politics.
- Few years back there were alleged racial attacks on Indian students in Australia that led to a dramatic decrease in the number of Indian students going to Australia. Many say this would likely be the trend for Indian students going to US. Most of them who come for studies will stay back and acquire citizenship. Obtaining citizenship legally is not a matter of concern. The problem which becomes acute is the illegal migration. The nations which look to its own interest and guide its domestic and foreign policy within the parameter of international law can address these kinds of problems.
Immigration and Visa rules
- Bulk of the migration is because of the economic reasons and because of Kennedy administration’s decision to wide open the immigration. US is a nation now where the original inhabitants may fear that they might become a minority at a particular time.
- In the world today only 3% of the world population are international migrants. The remaining 97% of the population who are nationalistic and patriotic and it is imperative on the part of the state to look after the welfare needs of this nationalistic population. The Trump presidency is an indication of this and is reflected in Europe also with Brexit as the first example.
- Recent reports points out that President Trump wants to bring changes in the H1B and L1 visa’s which is going to affect many Indians because more than 50% of theH1B visa’s is used by Indians. Every nation formulates its Foreign and Domestic policy on the basis of self interest. No country has a claim over the visa policies. India may express its concerns if the policy is very abrupt. Rather we should provide proper employment opportunity to our qualified people.
Conclusion
- The relations between the nations are normally determined by mutual interests. The incidents of immigration, racial, identity politics does not have a bearing on US-India relations.
- Looking to the effectiveness of American administration which is a developed state, well established democracy, they will be able to address the problems quite well within the constitutional framework that has continued for more than 200 years.
