2.4 lakh illegal Indian immigrants in US: Report

An estimated 240,000 Indian immigrants are among 11.5 million foreigners living illegally in the United States without proper immigration documents, according to latest official figures.

The flow of Indians coming clandestinely to the US has, in fact, doubled between 2000 and 2011, said the latest report by the US Department of Homeland Security.

During the same period the total number of illegal foreign immigrants increased from 8.46 million to 11.51 million.

India with 240,000 illegal immigrants ranks seventh in the list which is topped by Mexico with 6.8 million followed by El Salvador (660,000), Guatemala (520,000) and Honduras (380,000).

China is placed fifth in the list, but tops among the Asian countries with 280,000 illegal immigrants, followed by Philippines (270,000) which is ranked overall sixth.

India is followed by 230,000 illegal immigrants from Korea, Ecuador (210,000) and Vietnam (170,000).

The Cuban-born population living in the US was excluded from the estimates since, according to immigration law, most Cubans are admitted or paroled into the US and are eligible a year later to apply to adjust to legal permanent residency status.

Of the 11.5 million unauthorised immigrants in 2011, 1.6 million (14 per cent) entered the US on January 1, 2005 or later. Larger numbers came during 2000-2004 (3.3 million or 29 per cent) and 1995–1999 (3.0 million or 26 per cent).