Pranav* is desolate and breaks down when asked about his American Dream ordeal. He was part of the first batch of deportees from the USA. His story resonates with millions of Indians seeking a better future for their families. With the increasing population and fast-reducing investors, job creation is almost nonexistent. The problem does not just affect the demography of rural areas or India’s middle class. In 2023, over five thousand millionaires left the country for good. The excessive taxation on investors (domestic and international) is taking a toll on the Indian economy.

India has the largest number of college degree holders in the world. Every year, 10 Million students graduate, and only 50% find suitable employment. With limited options in the country, it is common for them to look for overseas opportunities. The top preferred employment destinations are the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. Yet, no one can pass a chance to catch the American Dream. Human traffickers and illegal immigration agents victimize thousands of Indians every year, promising an opportunity to work in the USA.

Most victims think they will have legal entry and employment in the USA. Their desperation is exploited and profited from. They pay these agents well over $80,000 to $115,000 for their services. The money is usually from property sales or loans taken at high interest from local moneylenders. They are, for the most part, law-abiding citizens who thought they were entering the country legally. To be shackled like a criminal and to be displayed in the media destroys what limited scope they have for a livelihood back in India.

*Name changed to protect identity.

  • Comfort: Let us pray for people like Pranav, who face exploitation and indifference (The Bible, Psalm 34:18).
  • Creating Solutions: Let us pray for the government to take necessary measures to increase the rate of job creation (The Bible, James 3:17).
  • Long-term Economic Reforms: Let us pray for God’s wisdom for the decision-makers in the country to create an economically conducive environment that invites foreign investment and, in turn, creates new jobs (The Bible, Isaiah 41:10).

News Source: NDTV.com