Recently, US President Donald Trump announced immigration regulations targeting undocumented immigrants, saying they will be immediately deported if caught by immigration authorities.
"We will monitor and provide protection for Indonesian citizens affected by this policy," Mahendra said while receiving the US Ambassador to Indonesia, Kamala Lakhdhir, in Jakarta, on Wednesday.
Responding to the concerns of the Indonesian government, Lakhdhir said that the policy only applies to individuals entering the US illegally. Therefore, no need to worry because the Indonesian diaspora in the US, both students and workers, can still live their lives as usual.
She explained that the individuals threatened with deportation are those who initially entered the US on student visas but no longer have legal status after leaving university, or those who entered the US illegally from the start.
Lakhdhir further said that her country is working with Indonesian immigration to handle US citizens who have overstayed their visas in Indonesia, especially in Bali.
Besides deportation, the meeting also discussed the issue of dual citizenship. The ambassador said that her government has no objection if people of Indonesian descent in the US chose to become American citizens.
The US government acknowledges that Indonesia only recognizes one citizenship. From the US side, if someone chooses to become a US citizen, that is their right, and the US has no objection to that, she added.
In addition, Lakhdhir emphasized the importance of good relations between Indonesia and the US in various sectors, including security, law, and bilateral cooperation.
This collaboration can hopefully be further strengthened for the common interest, she stated.
Responding to this, Mahendra emphasized that Indonesia still adheres to the principle of single citizenship. However, he opened up space for further discussion on the dual citizenship policy, considering the increasing number of the Indonesian diaspora abroad.
Currently, Indonesia provides limited dual citizenship to children from mixed marriages until they are 21 years old.
"Once they turn 21, they must choose one of the citizenships," the minister explained.
The discussion is also expected to pave the way for further cooperation between Indonesia and the US on legal and immigration issues.
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Translator: Agatha Olivia, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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