New Delhi: A plane carrying 112 Indians deported from the United States for illegal residency landed in Amritsar on Sunday night. This marks the third such arrival in just ten days, coinciding with the crackdown on undocumented immigrants under the Donald Trump administration.
The U.S. Air Force's C-17 Globemaster aircraft touched down at Amritsar International Airport around 10:03 PM, as reported by sources. Among the deportees, 31 hail from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, two from Uttar Pradesh, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Some families were present at the airport to welcome their returning relatives.
Following the completion of immigration, verification, and background checks, the deportees will be allowed to return home. Transportation arrangements have been made to facilitate their journey.
The first round of deportations occurred on February 5, with a U.S. military plane bringing back 104 Indians. A second flight arrived on Saturday with 116 deportees. Reports indicated that during the initial deportation, deportees were shackled throughout the flight, leading to significant political backlash in India and stirring controversy in Parliament. Similar claims of mistreatment were voiced by those returned on Saturday.
In response to the criticism, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that the Indian government is in discussions with the U.S. to ensure the humane treatment of deportees. He said that the U.S. has been deporting illegal migrants for years, a practice that is not new.
However, the Indians were handcuffed in second deportation flight as well. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the U.S. earlier this week, affirmed that India would accept its citizens living illegally in the U.S.
The U.S. Embassy in India defended its actions, emphasizing the importance of enforcing immigration laws for national security and public safety. A spokesperson stated, "It is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens."
India ranks as the third-largest source of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., following Mexico and El Salvador. Many deportees from Punjab had sought to migrate to the U.S. in search of better opportunities for their families, only to have their aspirations dashed upon being apprehended at the border and returned in chains.
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