'There are stupid people in US too': Marco Rubio on racist remarks against Indian Americans

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday responded to concerns over racist remarks targeting Indian Americans, saying such comments should be taken seriously but do not reflect the broader character of the United States. He described the US as a welcoming nation enriched by immigrants.

Speaking at a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his four-day visit to India, Rubio was asked about racist comments directed at Indian Americans in the United States.

"I'll take that very seriously about the comments. I'm sure that there are people who have made comments online and in other places because every country in the world has stupid people. I'm sure there are stupid people here; there are stupid people in the United States who make dumb comments all the time," Rubio said when asked about racist remarks against Indian Americans in the United States.

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The US Secretary of State said such remarks should not overshadow the role immigrants have played in shaping the country. "The United States is a very welcoming country. Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country from all over the world," he said.

Rubio's comments came as he also sought to reassure Indians over recent changes affecting US immigration and visa policies, including those involving J-1, F-1, and H-1B visa categories.

Acknowledging the contribution of Indians to the American economy, Rubio said Indian companies have invested more than $20 billion in the US. "I accept the contribution that Indians have made to the US economy. Over $20 billion has been invested in the US economy by Indian companies. We want that number to continue to increase," he said.

Rubio stressed that the Trump administration's immigration reforms are not aimed at India and are being implemented globally. "The changes that are happening now, or the modernisation of our migration system into the United States, are not India-specific; it is global, it's being applied across the world," he said.

He said the United States was modernising its immigration system after facing a migration crisis in recent years. "We've had a migratory crisis in the United States. This is not because of India, but broadly, we have had over 20 million people illegally enter the United States over the last few years, and we've had to address that challenge," Rubio said.

At the same time, he reiterated that the United States remains open to immigration and continues to benefit from it. "The United States, I believe, is the most welcoming country in the world for immigration. Every single year, a million people, roughly, become permanent residents of the United States and contribute greatly," he said.

The secretary said the US was now undertaking a long-overdue effort to reform how it manages immigration. "So, the US is currently undergoing a process of reforming the system by which we choose how many people come into our country, who comes in, when they come in, cetera," Rubio said.

Rubio maintained that the ongoing changes are part of a broader overhaul of the immigration system and are not directed at any particular country, including India.