US Deports 116 More Illegal Indian Immigrants To Amritsar
Amritsar, 16th February 2025: A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft carrying 116 illegal Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar International Airport late Saturday night at 11:30 PM. This marks the second batch of deportees, following the 104 immigrants sent back on February 5th. A third flight with 157 more deportees is expected to arrive on Sunday night.
The male deportees were reportedly handcuffed and shackled during the flight, except for women and children. After a 5-hour verification process at the airport, they were transported home in police vehicles without being allowed to speak to the media. Of the 116 deportees, 65 were from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, 8 from Gujarat, and the rest from various other states. Most were between 18-30 years old. Punjab ministers Kuldeep Dhaliwal and Harbhajan Singh ETO received the deportees at the airport.
Daljeet Singh from Hoshiarpur confirmed the use of handcuffs and shackles during the flight. He had entered the US through the “donkey route” on January 23rd. Two brothers, Sandeep and Pradeep, were detained by Patiala police upon arrival for questioning in a murder case from June 2023.
Many families shared stories of financial hardship and deception by travel agents. Sozbir from Patiala’s Gajewas village had mortgaged 3 acres of land and spent 60 lakh rupees to send his son abroad. Jashnpreet Singh, 20, from Pandori Rajputan village, had spent time in a US refugee camp before being deported.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had earlier criticized the decision to land the deportation flights in Amritsar, calling it an attempt to defame Punjab. However, he assured that the state government has made arrangements for the deportees’ accommodation and transportation home.
The deportations come as part of the US government’s crackdown on illegal immigration. According to the Pew Research Center, there are over 700,000 unauthorized Indian immigrants in the US as of 2023, the third-largest group after Mexico and El Salvador.
