US deports Indian migrants using military plane amid Trump’s crackdown: Report

US expands military role in deportations

Under Trump’s administration, the US military has been increasingly involved in immigration enforcement, deploying additional troops to the US-Mexico border, using military facilities to accommodate migrants, and employing military planes for deportations.

According to Reuters, previous deportation flights have sent migrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras. However, this is the first time India has been included in the military deportation programme since Trump reassumed office.

The Pentagon has now begun arranging flights to deport over 5,000 migrants detained in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California, the report added.

Trump and Rubio discuss immigration with Indian leaders

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both raised concerns over illegal immigration from India in discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Speaking about his talks with Modi, Trump stated that he expects India to “do what is right” in accepting the return of undocumented Indian migrants.

The White House described the conversation between the two leaders as “productive,” highlighting discussions on ways to “expand and deepen” US-India cooperation.

Meanwhile, Rubio raised the issue of “irregular immigration” with Jaishankar, who reiterated that India does not support illegal migration. “Illegal immigration is often linked to other unlawful activities. It is neither desirable nor beneficial for our reputation. If any of our citizens are found to be in the US illegally, and we verify their citizenship, we are open to their lawful return to India,” Jaishankar stated.

Deportation costs and India’s response

Military deportation flights are significantly more expensive than those operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Reuters reported that a single military deportation flight to Guatemala last week cost around $4,675 per migrant.

(with inputs from agencies)

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