US - India Strategic Forum
Dulles, Virginia | The US-India Strategic Forum on August 16, 2025, co-hosted by business, media and think tank groups at a major gathering celebrating India's 79th Independence Day, Chief Michael Banks, U.S. Border Patrol, Department of Homeland Security delivered a keynote address and engaged in a conversation on the importance of strengthening national security by enforcing border security which protects citizens in a sovereign state, affirming a rule of law immigration system and advancing principled reforms.
The US-India Strategic Forum at the India Independence Day event was co-hosted by America's Roundtable, International Leaders Summit, US-India Leaders Summit, Anna Sudha Kitchens and the South Asian Business Council with organizers including Aparna Madireddi. The event was moderated by Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy, co-founders of America's Roundtable and International Leaders Summit with distinguished speakers including Chief Michael Banks, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Mr. Jigar Pradipkumar Raval, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Washington, DC, and Lt.Colonel Robert Mosier, Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and former secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security in Governor Glenn Youngkin's cabinet, Commonwealth of Virginia.
Both America and India have experienced breaches in national security which resulted in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, killing 3,000 people on U.S. soil. The three day rampage of terrorist attacks in India which began on November 26, 2008, whereby a number of armed terrorists came ashore from the Arabian Sea on small boats and attacked numerous high-profile targets in Mumbai, India's financial capital and targeted a Chabad Lubavitch Jewish center, also known as the killing Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, his wife Rivkah, and for others. A total of 172 people were killed in the attacks by the Jihadist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
During the years of 2021-2024, over 10 million entered the United States of America including criminal illegal aliens and terrorists on the FBI terror watch list. During this time period, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported over 53,000 arrests of individuals attempting to enter the U.S. illegally who had prior criminal convictions and nearly 1,000 individuals on the terrorist watchlist were apprehended. The Biden-Harris open border policy not created mayhem on the U.S. southern border, communities across America were adversely by soaring crime rates fueled by illegal aliens.
On September 27, 2024, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) issued a statement following the release of new data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showing that, as of July 21, 2024, nearly 650,000 criminal illegal aliens were currently on ICE’s Non-Detained Docket (NDD) and roaming free in communities throughout the United States. This figure includes roughly 15,000 individuals convicted of or charged with murder, more than 20,000 of sexual assault, and more than 105,000 of assault.
Lt. Colonel Robert Mosier of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office spoke about the importance of strengthening law and order in local communities and keeping communities safe. Lt. Colonel Mosier previously served as Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security in Governor Glenn Youngkin's cabinet, Commonwealth of Virginia.
In a report published by South Asian Herald titled "US Border Patrol Chief Emphasizes Support for Legal Immigration at India’s 79th Independence Day Celebrations in Virginia," T. Vishnudatta Jayaraman writes:
Chief Michael Banks of the U.S. Border Patrol underscored that the agency is not “anti-immigrant,” noting that immigrants are the underpinning of America.
“This country was built by immigrants. It will continue to thrive by immigrants. But what we have to have is immigrants to come to the front door, and ask for permission to come to this country so that we can vet them and make sure that those that are coming into this country are not going to do harm,” said Chief Banks, speaking at India’s 79th Independence Day celebrations held on August 16, 2025, at Dulles Town Center in Virginia.
The report further highlighted Chief Banks' message:
Banks, who served 23 years with the Border Patrol before retiring under the Biden administration, said he was invited back to lead the agency by President Donald Trump following the 2024 election.
“We’re the United States Border Patrol. We will go anywhere in the United States of America and arrest someone… we’re not going to be restricted by the actual border,” he said.
Highlighting recent enforcement successes, Banks pointed to a “phenomenal” 94 percent reduction in illegal cross-border traffic and a 98 percent drop in “gotaways”, individuals attempting to evade law enforcement.
He stressed that the agency is not targeting people “just here for a better life” but is focused on individuals with criminal backgrounds.
According to Banks, 66 percent of those apprehended by the Border Patrol in the past seven months had prior criminal convictions, while another 33 percent were caught for having links to criminals involved in illegal activities.
“If the left wants immigration reform, knock off the games on the border. If the right wants immigration reform keep empowering me as you are to get that border shut down,” he added. “The quicker we get that border shut down, the quicker we get the criminals out of this country, the quicker we’re going to be able to get to the table and come up with real comprehensive immigration reform that’s going to help my family. It’s going to help your family while we continue to keep this country safe.”
In his message, he urged the community to rely on official sources such as cbp.gov for accurate information, rather than misinformation and fearmongering.
Chief Michael Banks of the U.S. Border Patrol underscored that the agency is not “anti-immigrant,” noting that immigrants are the underpinning of America.
Co-hosts of the US-India Strategic Forum Natasha Srdoc (center) and Aparna Madireddi with Juan Pablo Segura, secretary of commerce and trade, Commonwealth of Virginia.
Chief Michael Banks, U.S. Border Patrol, Department of Homeland Security with Natasha Srdoc, co-founder, America's Roundtable, Lt. Colonel Robert Mosier and Cindy Mosier.
Natasha Srdoc and Aparna Madireddi.
