As ‘illegal’ immigrants from US land in India today, Punjab consultants call for action against travel agents behind ‘dunki’ routes

Nitin Chawla, executive member of the Association of Consultants for Overseas Studies (ACOS), Punjab, said, “Earlier Canada had deported Indians and now the US is doing…and they have mentioned a list of over 20,000. No doubt, we are welcoming them back home but it is a matter of self-introspection. I strongly feel that those who are coming back should be asked about the people who had illegally sent them so that action can be taken against them. Moreover, the people who went were also wilfully going through illegal ways. Hence, playing the victim card is not justified”.

“Once Canada’s government changes, mass deportation will happen from there as well … rather Canada has been following strict norms for the past many months. The US has followed Canada. Hence, the big question is how India in general, and Punjab in particular, is going to handle this influx. We don’t have jobs for the unemployed here what would happen to those who are coming back,” said Chawla, who is also the director of Kapri Immigration and Consultants.

Gaurav Chaudhary from Eduplanet, an overseas education consultant based in Ludhiana, said he supports the government’s stand. “As a student visa consultant, I support the Government of India’s stand on the return of illegal migrants, as it reinforces the importance of lawful migration and global compliance. Encouraging legal pathways ensures better opportunities, safety, and stability for aspiring students and professionals.”

Vinay Kumar Hari, from Vinay Hari Education Consultant, said, “Two hundred and five people are coming back and I have heard that over 5,000 more would come back in the days to come. A number of them had crossed over through the Canadian border while many others went through illegal ways. Many parents are also contacting me that their sons have been arrested by the US police and they need help. Now, that they are coming back… it is a lesson for many others to follow legal ways to go abroad.”

Hari said an inquiry needs to be conducted “to find out the mafia behind this illegal immigration”. “As travel agents always have licenses and they always follow legal ways. Those who mint money to send people following the dunki route or other illegal ways are never registered travel agents. They change their phone numbers after a few days”.

He alleged that such “mafia” is run from many cities in the country, including in Punjab, Delhi, Gujarat and other states. “It is not a single person’s job. They take them via charter flights… through jungles and whatnot. It is high time people should understand that they should follow legal ways to move out instead of wasting hard-earned money on illegal ways”.

However, several travel agents told The Indian Express that despite the crackdown by the Trump administration, the demand for migration to the United States remains high, and that people in Punjab and Haryana would continue to enter the US through dangerous, illegal routes.

The “Dunki route” is one such way people use to cross the US-Mexico border through unauthorised paths and travel through countries in Africa and South America to reach Mexico.