U.S. Deports Indian Immigrants: Third Batch of 112 Arrives in Amritsar
U.S. Deports Indian Immigrants: A third batch of 112 Indian immigrants deported from the U.S. has arrived in Amritsar. This comes just a day after a U.S. military aircraft brought back 116 deported Indians on Saturday night.
According to reports, the deported individuals were found illegally residing in the U.S., prompting U.S. authorities to take action. The latest group includes 31 from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, and others from different states.
Deported Indians Under Police Inquiry
After landing in India, the deported individuals were subjected to biometric verification and questioning by Indian police. The authorities will now hand them over to their respective state police stations.
Among those deported, two were women. Reports indicate that this is the third deportation operation by the U.S.. On February 5, 104 Indian immigrants were deported, many of whom were brought back in handcuffs and leg shackles. So far, a total of 332 deported Indians have arrived back in the country.
Second Deportation Flight Carried 116 Indians
On Saturday night, a U.S. military C-17 aircraft landed at Amritsar Airport at 11:35 PM, carrying 116 deported Indians. Among them:
65 were from Punjab
33 from Haryana
8 from Gujarat
2 each from Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan
1 each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir
Upon arrival, the deported individuals were provided food and assistance after their long journey. Sources say most of them were between 18 to 30 years old.
Deported Indians Share Their Struggles
Several deported individuals narrated their painful experiences of trying to enter the U.S. illegally.
Saurav (20) from Punjab’s Firozpur district: Left home on December 17 last year to reach the U.S. but was caught at the border on January 27. He was detained in a U.S. detention center for 18 days, where his phone was confiscated. His family spent ₹45-46 lakh ($55,000) on his journey, even selling two acres of farmland to finance it.
Harjeet Singh from Gurdaspur: Was deported with his cousin after being caught crossing the U.S. border on January 27. He said, "We were deported on February 13, and they put handcuffs and shackles on us." Their family had spent a staggering ₹90 lakh ($110,000) for the trip.
Mantaj Singh (22) from Hoshiarpur: Used the dangerous "Donkey Route"—a well-known illegal immigration pathway—to enter the U.S. but was caught by border patrol officers.
Punjab Ministers Meet Deported Individuals at Airport
Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Power Minister Harbhajan Singh met some deported individuals at Amritsar Airport. Dhaliwal assured them, "The Punjab government stands with you. Don’t lose hope."
Some deportees revealed that they and their families had spent ₹40-40 lakh ($48,000 each) on agents who promised legal immigration to the U.S. but betrayed them.
Punjab Government to Crack Down on Travel Agents
Minister Dhaliwal announced that strict action would be taken against fraudulent travel agents who exploit youth by offering illegal immigration routes. The government urged deported individuals to come forward and file complaints against these agents.
Meanwhile, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann criticized the central government, saying, "Do not turn our holy city into a deportation hub.
