This is the story of a Telugu tourist who was arrested and imprisoned in the USA. She is a doctor who visited her children’s home as a tourist. Their neighbors, who had a 6-month-old baby, asked her to take care of the child. Typically, parents would need to place their child in a licensed daycare center, spending around $1,000 a month. However, due to a racial connection and their trust in her as a doctor, the parents believed their child would be safe in her hands.
Unfortunately, the child swallowed something, which the doctor noticed. She attempted to administer first aid on her way to remove the object from his throat. When her attempts didn’t succeed, she called the parents, who rushed to the scene. Only then did they call 911. The ambulance arrived, but by the time they reached the hospital, the child was pronounced dead.
While the parents of the deceased child are not aggressive, the legal system in the USA followed the law. The neighbor, although a doctor, was not supposed to care for anyone other than her own family members. Furthermore, she was required by law to call 911 first before attempting any first aid, which she failed to do. This was considered a crime. Unfortunately, not knowing local laws was not considered an exception. She was handcuffed, taken to court, and sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment. She is currently in jail. Thus, an elderly lady on a tourist visa who happened to be a doctor in India is now incarcerated.
There is another well-known case. An elderly Indian tourist visited the USA to stay with his son’s family for a few days. While on a morning walk, he was seen staring at houses and people around him. Someone reported him as suspicious. The police arrived and began asking questions. Not knowing the language, the elderly man was unable to respond and became frightened. The police, following their protocol, tried to handcuff him. During the process, the old man fell and suffered a paralytic attack due to the shock. Thus, an elderly Indian man on a tourist visa faced this unfortunate incident.
There are also numerous random cases where tourist visa holders are now subject to scrutiny by ICE. It has come to light that some parents who come to stay with their children on tourist visas work at nearby restaurants, cutting vegetables. These parents are not volunteering; they are paid a nominal $5 per hour or task, which some tourist parents accept as pocket money. This practice is now under increased scrutiny, with ICE aggressively searching for such individuals through whistleblowers. If they are caught, they could face legal trouble.
In conclusion, the bottom line is that not only illegal immigrants who entered the country through unauthorized routes, and not only those who overstay their visas, but also students who are not permitted to work off-campus, are facing problems. Even tourists on a visa are now encountering legal troubles in the USA, as reflected in the widespread concerns within the Indian diaspora.
