Two flights carrying 119 Indian migrants deported from the United States are set to arrive at Guru Ram Dass International Airport in Amritsar on February 15 and 16. Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Hindustan Times that both flights are scheduled to land at 10:05 PM on their respective dates.
Most of the deportees are from Punjab (67), followed by Haryana (33), Gujarat (8), Uttar Pradesh (3), Maharashtra (2), Goa (2), Rajasthan (2), and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, according to PTI.
Illegal Entry and Passport Destruction
The deportees include individuals who entered the US illegally through Mexico and other routes. According to officials, some migrants tore up their passports after crossing the border, making it difficult for authorities to identify them.
These deportations are part of a broader effort by the US government under the Donald Trump administration, which has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigration.
Previous Deportation Flight on February 5
This latest batch of deportations follows an earlier flight on February 5, when a US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amritsar. Among them, 33 were from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh.
Some deportees from this flight reported that they were handcuffed throughout the journey and only unshackled after landing in India. This revelation sparked national outrage, prompting opposition leaders to demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the issue during his visit to Washington.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the Indian migrants were treated “even worse than garbage.” Following the backlash, New Delhi conveyed its concerns to the US regarding the treatment of deportees. Additionally, the distressing experiences of returnees have led to increased scrutiny of illegal immigration networks. In response, police in Punjab and Haryana have launched a crackdown on fraudulent travel agents who charge exorbitant fees and facilitate illegal migration to the US.
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