Kathmandu: As conjectures and predictions are being made in Nepali public sphere about what the US foreign policy to Nepal will be like under Trump 2.0, some observers have expressed forebodings about the situations Nepali immigrants, especially those who went to the US by following the illegal routes, will likely face in the days to come under his administration.
President elect Donald Trump, who vowed to deport the undocumented immigrants back to their respective countries during the campaign rallies, has reiterated that he will keep his campaign pledge, come what way.
Hundreds of Nepalis from Dang and Rukum districts of Nepal are estimated to have entered the US through the illegal routes by paying to the trafficking nexus as much as seven million rupees each, though the exact number is not known. These two districts also account for a substantial number of victims who were fleeced millions of rupees in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam involving some high-profile politicians.
Observers say Nepalis in the US, including those entering the US through the illegal channels, might face difficult times ahead under Trump 2.0. “His [Trump’s] earlier tenure saw increased incidents of attacks and hate crimes against the minorities and immigrants of Asian origin,” said Anurag Acharya, who is a political analyst and the Director at Kathmandu-based think-tank Policy Entrepreneurs Inc. “There is a sizable Nepali diaspora in the US, including in the key republican strongholds like Texas, who may be concerned about the possibility of such incidents repeating during his next tenure,” he told The DMN News. “But, this is only a speculation at this point.”
Baburam Bishwakarma, the author of Bhurajnitiko Bhar (Burden of Geopolitics), also expressed similar concern. “A number of Nepalis from Rukum and Dang districts in Nepal have reportedly entered the US as illegal immigrants. And the president-elect is known for strong rhetoric against the illegal immigrants,” he said. “Therefore, the possibility is that some Nepalis living and working in the US illegally could be deported. Or they could face really difficult situations out there and they may need help.”
Gopal Khanal, the author of the book Bhurajniti (Geopolitics) argues that the situation might not be as alarming as we think. “Many people think Trump will deal harshly with the immigrants but I think he will be more liberal towards immigrants than during his previous term because politicians create one rhetoric while outside power but they have to deal with the situation more responsibly when they are in power,” he said.
[Also read: Donald Trump’s return to the White House: What does it matter to Nepal?]
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