DELHI- The United States (US) has scheduled two additional deportation flights carrying illegal Indian immigrants to arrive at Amritsar Airport (ATQ) in Punjab on February 15-16, intensifying the ongoing repatriation efforts.
The second batch of deportees, comprising 119 Indian nationals, will arrive on February 15 at approximately 10 PM.
US Deports Indian Immigrants
Official sources reveal that Punjab residents constitute the majority with 67 individuals, followed by 33 from Haryana and eight from Gujarat.
The remaining deportees originate from various states: three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and single individuals from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. A subsequent deportation flight will land on February 16.
The scheduled deportations coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with United States President Donald Trump, where Modi addressed the critical issue of human trafficking.
During their joint press conference at the White House, Modi emphasized the global nature of illegal immigration, highlighting the sophisticated trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable families with false promises.
Modi reinforced India’s stance on illegal immigration, stating that individuals residing unlawfully in foreign countries possess no legal authority to remain in those nations.
Not the First Time
A United States military aircraft transporting the first wave of deported Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar’s Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport on February 5, marking the beginning of a series of repatriation flights.
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal has challenged the US deportation policy, noting that many deportees initially entered America legally with valid work permits before their documentation expired.
Dhaliwal advocates for their permanent residency status, citing their economic contributions to the United States. The Minister will present these concerns to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in their upcoming meeting, focusing specifically on protecting Punjabi residents in America.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data reveals an escalating trend in Indian deportations, with 370 Indians repatriated in 2023. This enforcement surge gained international attention following a December 2023 incident where French authorities grounded a Nicaragua-bound flight carrying 303 Indian passengers suspected of planning illegal migration.
The deportation statistics show that 5,477 Indians were removed from the United States between 2018 and 2023, reaching its peak during the Trump administration. The year 2020 recorded the highest number with 2,312 deportations, coinciding with President Trump’s India visit, while 2019 saw 1,616 removals.
A Gujarati-American businessman, speaking confidentially to the Times of India, confirms the intensified immigration enforcement during Trump’s presidency. The source identifies Gujarat and Punjab as the primary states of origin for deportees, many of whom entered the United States without proper documentation.
ICE, established through the 2003 merger of the U.S. Customs Service and Immigration and Naturalization Service, continues to enforce these immigration regulations.
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