Synopsis
A US military flight has brought back 104 illegal Indian immigrants to Punjab, with many originating from Haryana and Gujarat. This deportation coincides with PM Modi's upcoming US visit, highlighting ongoing immigration issues.Key Takeaways
- First group of 104 illegal immigrants deported.
- Majority from Haryana and Gujarat.
- Youngest deportee is four years old.
- Deportation coincides with PM Modi's US visit.
- India ready to accept verified return of nationals.
Amritsar, Feb 5 (NationPress) A US military aircraft has transported the initial group of 104 illegal Indian immigrants to Amritsar, Punjab, with the largest contingent of 30 individuals each hailing from Haryana and Gujarat.
Among the deportees, 30 were residents of Punjab, and the US military's C-17 aircraft landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport under strict security measures.
Additionally, two individuals were from Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, while three came from Maharashtra. The group included 25 women and 12 minors, with the youngest being just four years old.
Out of the total, 48 individuals are under the age of 25. The flight, which departed from Texas on Tuesday, also included 11 crew members and 45 US officials supervising the deportation.
A senior official from Punjab stated that most deportees from the state originate from Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Patiala, Mohali, and Sangrur. Some had entered the US illegally, while others had overstayed their visas.
They were deported on the C-17 aircraft that took off from San Antonio, Texas. This marked the first phase of deportations coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Washington next week.
This trip will be PM Modi's first after Donald Trump assumed the presidency for a second term. External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar previously stated that New Delhi is open to the legitimate return of Indian nationals residing illegally abroad, including in the US.
India has shown a willingness to accept these migrants post-verification, as conveyed by EAM Jaishankar to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month.
President Trump stated last month, “For the first time in history, we are locating and loading illegal aliens into military aircraft and flying them back to the places from which they came.”
Punjab's NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal expressed disappointment over the US's decision to deport these individuals, arguing they have made contributions to the US economy and should have been granted permanent residency instead of facing deportation.
According to data from the Pew Research Centre, approximately 725,000 illegal immigrants from India reside in the US, making it the third-largest unauthorized immigrant population after Mexico and El Salvador.
Many of those facing deportation from Punjab entered the US via the “donkey route” or other illegal means, spending substantial amounts of money. The US administration has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigrants since Trump took office.
