The US military aircraft, which departed Texas, has touched down in Amritsar as part of an ongoing trend of deportations of undocumented migrants. The Indian government prepared assistance for the returnees while Trump cites a cooperative agreement with India regarding repatriation efforts.
US Military Deportation Flight of Indian Nationals Arrives in Punjab
US Military Deportation Flight of Indian Nationals Arrives in Punjab
A flight carrying 104 deported Indian nationals from the US has landed in Punjab, following US President Trump's reinforced immigration policies.
The arrival of a US military plane carrying 104 Indian nationals marked a significant moment in the ongoing conversation about immigration policies and international cooperation. Having taken off from Texas late Tuesday, the aircraft landed in Amritsar, Punjab, where authorities had arranged for the processing of the deportees. President Donald Trump's administration has prioritized the mass deportation of individuals without legal residency in the US, identifying around 18,000 Indian nationals believed to have entered the country illegally.
This deportation flight is part of a rising trend, with over 1,000 Indian citizens repatriated from the US in the last fiscal year alone. Trump hailed assurances from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing that India would "do what's right" regarding accepting these individuals. In preparation for their return, Punjab officials established special counters to handle deportees, ensuring their treatment would be "friendly.”
As the plane arrived at around 13:00 local time, local media were present outside police barricades near an Indian Air Force facility. The deportees will be processed separately from regular passengers and subsequently transported back to their home states, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat.
The increase in deportations aligns with a reported rise in encounters involving Indian nationals attempting to cross borders into the US. From 2018 to 2023, officials documented the removal of 5,477 Indians, with the peak in 2020 when over 2,300 individuals were sent back. Current estimates on the number of undocumented Indian immigrants in the US vary significantly, highlighting the complexities of the situation.
The US government faces challenges in ensuring cooperation from countries like India in these deportation efforts, which are deemed "uncooperative." Despite these hurdles, India's foreign ministry underscored its commitment to addressing illegal migration while also providing pathways for legal migration opportunities in collaboration with the US.
This deportation flight is part of a rising trend, with over 1,000 Indian citizens repatriated from the US in the last fiscal year alone. Trump hailed assurances from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing that India would "do what's right" regarding accepting these individuals. In preparation for their return, Punjab officials established special counters to handle deportees, ensuring their treatment would be "friendly.”
As the plane arrived at around 13:00 local time, local media were present outside police barricades near an Indian Air Force facility. The deportees will be processed separately from regular passengers and subsequently transported back to their home states, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat.
The increase in deportations aligns with a reported rise in encounters involving Indian nationals attempting to cross borders into the US. From 2018 to 2023, officials documented the removal of 5,477 Indians, with the peak in 2020 when over 2,300 individuals were sent back. Current estimates on the number of undocumented Indian immigrants in the US vary significantly, highlighting the complexities of the situation.
The US government faces challenges in ensuring cooperation from countries like India in these deportation efforts, which are deemed "uncooperative." Despite these hurdles, India's foreign ministry underscored its commitment to addressing illegal migration while also providing pathways for legal migration opportunities in collaboration with the US.
