 "One of the first deportation flights under Trump's new term was a US military aircraft carrying 104 Indian nationals, mostly from Gujarat and Punjab. Image courtesy: X.com/@PressSec")
A second aircraft carrying 119 illegal immigrants from the United States is set to land at Amritsar airport on Sunday, The Times of India reported. This development comes after a C-17 aircraft with 104 illegal migrants landed in Amritsar on February 5.
It is still unknown whether the deportees will be returning on a US military aircraft or a flight arranged by the Indian government.
More than half of the deportees on the flight are from Punjab, while many others are from Haryana and Gujarat.
Sources said the second group of deportees is unlikely to arrive in chains or handcuffed. In the previous wave of deportations by US authorities, the deportees were sent back in dire conditions, with their hands and feet chained, prompting opposition parties to raise questions about the treatment of migrants.
The alleged “dehumanisation” of the deportees was discussed in the Indian Parliament. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to the criticism, stating that the matter would be taken up with the US government.
Sources told The Indian Express that among the deportees, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and one each from Goa, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
‘Dunkey’ route
Most deportees had entered the US illegally via the “dunkey” route. The illegal migrants spent months on the journey and paid large sums to dishonest agents. Since their return, the Punjab and Haryana governments have arrested many of these agents who facilitated sending migrants to the US via the “dunkey” route.
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More ShortsPM Modi, Trump meeting in US
The issue was also discussed during the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in Washington.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a press conference after the meeting that both sides agreed to ease legal travel for students, professionals, tourists, and businesses while taking strong action against illegal immigration and human trafficking. The two sides committed to tackling threats to public safety, diplomacy, and national security, with a focus on strengthening law enforcement, especially in light of recent events.