Illegal Indian Immigrants Return Live Updates: US plane carrying over 100 deported Indians lands in Amritsar amid Trump’s immigration crackdown

Family members of illegal immigrants from Gujarat who were deported from the US have claimed they do not know how their kin reached the foreign soil.

Former deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel expressed sympathy for the deported Gujaratis, underlining the fact that they had gone to the foreign country looking for a job or career, and they should not be portrayed as criminals.

A US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar in Punjab in the afternoon. Sources said that 33 of the 104 deportees are from Gujarat.

Kanubhai Patel, whose daughter is among the deportees, claimed she had gone to Europe for a vacation with her friends a month ago.

"I have no idea what she planned after reaching Europe. The last time we talked with her was January 14. We have no idea how she reached the US," said Patel, a resident of Chandranagar-Dabhla village in Mehsana district.

Another deportee belongs to Luna village of Vadodara district. Her uncle Pravin Patel told reporters that she left for the US a month ago.

"She lives nearby, in the same village. She got married a year ago and went to the US last month. We only know that she has been deported. We don't know the reason behind her deportation," he said.

(PTI)

The BJP keeps on talking about illegal immigration from Bangladesh. So by the same logic, should India be identifying and sending back or deporting all the so-called Bangladeshi illegal immigrants?

If they are indeed proven to be Bangladeshi. Yes, I think Bangladesh has the same obligation to take them as we have to take the illegal Indians in America. Part of the problem in many cases, in the political context in India, is that many people who claim to be Indian are being described by some as Bangladeshis, but they are not able to prove conclusively that these people have an address or a document that certifies them to be Bangladeshi. So the Bangladeshi Government will, in turn, turn around and say, how can we accept these people? They might be West Bengali Muslims, unless you can prove them Bangladeshi. If you can prove them Bangladeshi, then the Bangladesh government is obliged by international law to take them and I would support the government in sending them back. Again you have to see whether their nationality is beyond question.

If I were an Indian government official, and the Americans wanted to return somebody who they think is Indian, but I’m not sure is Indian, that he might be from some other country, including Pakistan or Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, and there is no proof, because there is no documentation or proof of identity or anything else as to the identity, then I too would contest deportation. But I think, as far as I know, that the deportations that have taken place so far, and certainly the 1,100 who were deported last year, were all people whose identity was confirmed by both sides to be Indian, by America and by India, in which case, of course, they should be here. This is their country.

A senior Punjab government official who met the deportees at the airport told The Indian Express, “They were caught at the border and never made it to the US. We have put them in contact with their loved ones and are arranging safe transport for them back home. It seems they have seen hot food after ages. We are also collecting information on the agents who sent them via the illegal route. Some of them were in the UK for a year or so and then travelled to the US.”

In an interview with The Indian Express, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "I think the US is entirely entitled to deport those people who they deem to be illegally present in their country and whose nationality can be established beyond doubt. So these are Indians, and they are in another country without authorisation, then India has a legal obligation to take them back. But I do believe it would have been better for the US to have sent these people on a regular commercial flight, or if necessary, on a civilian charter, than doing so on a military aircraft."

"On the question of Indian citizens being brought back to India, definitely that’s where they belong. They should be back at home," he said. Read More

Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal speaks to media after meeting deported Indian immigrants at the Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport in Amritsar.

CPI(ML) Liberation MP Raja Ram Singh has sought the Centre's intervention to safeguard the interest of Indians in the US and urged the government to clarify its stance on the deportation of suspected illegal immigrants.

In a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the MP from Bihar's Karakat said the Indian government's assurance to the US to take back 18,000 immigrants labelled as "illegal" set a dangerous precedent.

"This development, deeply ironic, given the historical and economic context of immigration in the US. Indian professionals and workers have been instrumental in driving innovation, growth, and profitability for US corporations, particularly in sectors such as IT, health care, and engineering. It is ironical that US companies and economy has thrived and made profits on the back of immigration," Singh said in the letter dated February 4.

"Since the time Donald Trump, the current president of the US, has taken oath, a spectre of xenophobic hate against immigrants was seen. His election speeches and promises made to the American public were filled with anti-immigrant hate, especially on issues like H-1B visa and others that affect Indians," he said.

Singh's appeal comes in the wake of US law enforcement agencies launching a crackdown on illegal immigrants after Trump took office as president last month.

(PTI)

The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) on Wednesday urged the Punjab government to establish a rehabilitation fund to support young boys and girls being deported from the United States.

In a statement, NAPA Executive Director Satnam Singh Chahal said lack of support and resources for these returnees could lead to severe social and economic challenges for the state.

He warned the Punjab government that negligence in addressing this growing crisis would only create more problems for the state, exacerbating unemployment, mental health issues and potential involvement in illegal activities.

This comes amid reports that a US military plane carrying 205 illegal immigrants hailing from Punjab and neighbouring states is likely to land at the Amritsar airport on Wednesday afternoon.

(PTI)

The Congress claimed on Wednesday that Indians being deported from the US were “handcuffed and humiliated”.

The statement from the principal Opposition party comes a day after a United States military plane began deporting Indian migrants, implementing directions issued by President Donald Trump against an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in that country. Reuters reported that the C-17 aircraft carrying 205 Indian nationals departed from San Antonio, Texas. Sources said the passengers include those from Gujarat, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

Pawan Khera, chairman of the Congress party’s media and publicity department, said, “Looking at the pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated while being deported from the US saddens me as an Indian.” Read More

A United States military C-17 aircraft carrying 104 deported Indian nationals from Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chandigarh is set to land at Amritsar airport around 1 pm today. The flight, which departed from San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday afternoon, has 11 crew members and 45 US officials on board.

According to sources, the highest number of deportees – 33 each – are from Gujarat and Haryana, followed by 30 from Punjab. Two passengers each are from Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, while three are from Maharashtra.

The deportees include 25 women and 12 minors, with the youngest passenger being just four years old. Forty-eight individuals are below the age of 25. Read More.

A military aircraft from the United States carrying over 100 deported Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar’s Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

Originally scheduled to land in the morning, the flight's arrival drew an unusually large crowd, prompting heightened security measures at the airport. The Punjab government has reportedly arranged minibuses to transport people back to their places in the state

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”.

Vinay Kumar 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”... Read

Indian Illegal Immigrants in US: A United States military plane carrying deported Indian migrants has landed in Amritsar on Wednesday (February 5) morning. The C-17 aircraft carrying 205 Indian nationals departed from San Antonio, Texas, around 3 am IST on Tuesday (February 4).

US President Donald Trump won the recent election on the plank of cracking down on illegal immigration, and has been vigorously pursuing this ever since he took office. Illegal immigrants are being deported by the planeload, including, significantly, on military planes.

The use of military planes for deportation is unusual in the US, it is also very expensive. Recently, Colombia had refused to let a military flight carrying deportees land, with President Gustavo Petro saying he would only accept civilian planes.

Why, then, is the Trump administration persisting with them? How much does one deportation flight on a military plane cost? Read Here

Punjab Police have tightened security at the airport. Speaking to media on Tuesday, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said,“We discussed the matter in a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister today. He has directed us to ensure that the Punjab government welcomes them in a friendly manner. We will set up counters at the airport and are in constant touch with the central government. Any updates will be shared as soon as we receive them. There are still unconfirmed reports suggesting a significant number of deportees.”

Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Tuesday expressed disappointment over the US government’s decision and said these individuals, who contributed to that country’s economy, should have been granted permanent residency instead of being deported.

He said many Indians entered the US on work permits which later expired, making them illegal immigrants.

The minister said he plans to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar next week to discuss the concerns and interests of Punjabis living in the US.

Dhaliwal had also appealed to Punjabis not to travel abroad through illegal means, emphasising the importance of acquiring skills and education to access opportunities worldwide.

A total of 30 deportees from Punjab are set to land at Amritsar’s Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport. Among them, five are from Amritsar, six from Kapurthala, four from Jalandhar, and four from Patiala. Two deportees each are from Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, and SBS Nagar. Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Sangrur, SAS Nagar, and Fatehgarh Sahib have one deportee each.

A US military aircraft carrying over 100 deported Indian nationals, including 33 from Gujarat, will land at Amritsar’s Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport on Wednesday afternoon. The deportees also belong to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.

The deported passengers include 25 women and 12 minors.

In the list of 104 passengers shared by sources, 48 persons are below the age of 25 with the youngest one being four years old

A senior Punjab Police official said that most of the deportees are from Punjab’s Majha belt, including Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, along with Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, and a few from Patiala, Mohali, and Sangrur. However, the maximum number of deportees are from Haryana.

A US military aircraft carrying over 100 illegal Indian immigrants is likely to land at the Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport here on Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier, the aircraft was expected to land in the morning.

Stay tuned while we bring you real-time updates from Amritsar

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