WASHINGTON: The White House, while commenting on media reports that Saudi Arabia has deported thousands of Pakistanis, observed that US immigration laws were still more lenient than those of other countries.

“When you look at our laws in particular, and compare them to so many other countries around the globe, we actually tend to probably fall in the lower end of how tough our immigration policies are vis-à-vis someone else,” said White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer when asked to comment on the reported deportations.

The Trump administration is facing global criticism for its immigration policies, particularly over its decision to temporarily ban all visitors and immigrants from seven Muslim countries.

On Tuesday, the administration also ordered US immigration officials to prepare for deporting undocumented aliens. There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States and the orders created a nationwide panic.

But Mr. Spicer pointed out that despite these restrictions, US laws were not as strict as those of other countries.

A Saudi newspaper – Saudi Gazette – reported last week that the kingdom had deported at least 39,000 Pakistanis in the past four months. The newspaper said that most of these workers were deported because they “violated the rules of residence and work.”

But an Indian journalist claimed at the White House briefing that most of the deported Pakistanis were also “a threat” to the kingdom and that’s why they were forced to leave.

The journalist also asked for comments on this week’s crackdown on suspected terrorists across Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2017