Amritsar witnessed an unprecedented arrival on Wednesday as a C-17 US military aircraft touched down at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, carrying 104 deported Indian nationals, including 13 children.
The group, comprising 79 men and 25 women, was received by police and civil administration officials, alongside a representative from the US Embassy.
An official confirmation on the number of deportees is awaited. Earlier reports claimed that US military plane C-17 was carrying 205 illegal immigrants.
This is the first batch of illegal Indian immigrants to have been deported by the US government as part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing crackdown on undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Footages of the arrival of the aircraft went viral soon after the plane touched the runway at the airport.
First-of-its-kind deportation
This marks the first instance of Indian illegal immigrants being deported from the US under Trump’s stringent immigration policy, initiated on his first day in office.
The aircraft, which departed from San Antonio, Texas, landed at 1.59 pm in Amritsar, carrying individuals hailing from various Indian states.
Sources disclosed that 33 individuals are from Haryana and Gujarat each, 30 from Punjab, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh.
Many were apprehended at the US-Mexico border while attempting to enter America through the illegal “donkey” route.
Despite their deportation, Indian authorities confirmed that these individuals have not violated any Indian laws, as they may have initially used legal channels to leave the country.
“There is no ground for arrest,” a source explained, “and if their passports are unavailable, biometric identification will be used.”
Also read: First military flight lands in Guantanamo Bay with deported immigrants
Concerns from Punjab authorities
On Tuesday, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav announced that the state government would receive the deportees and establish counters at the airport to facilitate their processing.
Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, expressed 'disappointment' over the US government’s decision.
He stated, “These individuals contributed to the country’s economy and should have been granted permanent residency instead of being deported.”
Dhaliwal further noted that some deportees had initially entered the US on valid work permits but became undocumented when their permits expired.
He plans to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar next week to discuss the matter.
On 24 January, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced its commitment to facilitate the return of Indian nationals overstaying or residing without proper documentation in the United States or "anywhere in the world."
Speaking at a press briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal affirmed India's stance against illegal immigration, citing its association with organised crime.
"We are against illegal immigration, especially because it is linked to several forms of organised crime," he stated.
Implications of the crackdown
President Trump has pledged to carry out the largest deportation campaign in American history.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has already identified nearly 18,000 undocumented Indian nationals among the 1.5 million individuals slated for deportation.
Data from the Pew Research Centre indicates that approximately 725,000 illegal immigrants from India currently reside in the US, making them the third-largest group of unauthorised immigrants after those from Mexico and El Salvador.
The Pentagon has been actively involved in facilitating deportations, with military aircraft already transporting migrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras.
More than 5,000 immigrants detained in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California, are slated for similar deportation flights.
Also read: Is Trump staging global trade war 'drama' to benefit his insiders?
Follow us
