Americans, 8-1, Oppose Immunity For Foreign Diplomats

Americans have had it with foreign diplomats breaking U.S. laws and then receiving a “get out of jail free” pass, according to a new poll that shows overwhelming opposition to the practice of giving lawbreakers stationed at the United Nations and Washington embassies diplomatic immunity.

The new YouGov poll bolsters the State Department’s Dec. 12 arrest and strip search of a top Indian diplomat charged with falsifying visa information for her Indian maid and paying her pauper’s wages of $600 a month despite promises of $4,500 a month.

The prosecution of Devyani Khobragade, India’s deputy consul general in New York City, has roiled U.S.-India relations. Images of President Obama have been burned in New Delhi. Khobragade has denied the charges, even claiming that her maid had tried to blackmail her.

India claims she has diplomatic immunity, but federal officials said that the rights to foreign officials only extends to their governmental duties.

On Friday, Khobragade flew back to New Delhi after she was indicted then granted diplomatic immunity from visa fraud charges.

Read more from this story HERE.