A US military aircraft carrying undocumented Indian immigrants arrived in India on Wednesday, landing at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar.
This marks the first deportation of Indian nationals under Donald Trump’s second term as US President.
Indian authorities’ response
Indian security officials confirmed to BBC that they had reviewed the list of deportees, stating that none of them were known criminals.
Some deportees will be escorted to their hometowns in police vehicles, while others from different states will be transported by flights. Media personnel were not allowed inside the airport, but they were expected to interact with the deportees once they exited.
Punjab government’s stand
Punjab Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal called the deportation of Indian nationals a “serious issue”, urging the Indian government to take it seriously.
“Many Indians went to the US legally on work permits, but after their permits expired, they were classified as undocumented immigrants,” he said. “They contributed to the US economy and should have been given citizenship instead of being deported.”
Dhaliwal mentioned that he is likely to meet Foreign Minister S Jaishankar next week to discuss the issue. He also advised Punjabis to migrate legally.
In a Facebook post, he stated that 104 Indians were scheduled to arrive in Amritsar, and he would personally visit the airport to receive them.
Meanwhile, Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav assured that the state government will welcome the returnees in a friendly manner. He added that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had already discussed the matter in a meeting and that Punjab was in constant contact with the central government.
However, he noted that detailed information about the deportees was still unavailable, and discussions with federal agencies were ongoing.
Trump administration’s use of military for deportation
Under Trump’s second term, the US military has been used for deporting undocumented immigrants, a practice considered unusual.
Temporary military facilities have been set up near the US-Mexico border to hold immigrants before deportation. Previously, US military aircraft had deported Guatemalan, Peruvian, and Honduran nationals.
High costs of military deportations
Deportations are typically handled by US immigration authorities, but using the military has significantly increased costs. This approach has also been criticised on human rights grounds.
According to Reuters, the US spent approximately $4,700 per passenger to deport Guatemalan citizens via military aircraft last week.
This move signals stricter US immigration policies, which could affect other immigrant communities in the future. An estimated 18,000 undocumented Indians currently reside in the US.
Trump’s concerns and India’s response
Last week, Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which Trump expressed concern over undocumented Indian immigrants in the US.
Speaking to reporters, Trump stated, “We hope India will make the right decision regarding undocumented Indians in the USA.”
US officials described the discussion as positive, and Trump hinted at a possible visit by Modi to the US in February.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised the issue with India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.
Jaishankar responded, “India does not support illegal immigration under any circumstances. It is often linked to illegal activities, which can harm our reputation.”
He affirmed that if an Indian citizen is found residing illegally in the US, and their Indian nationality is confirmed, India is willing to facilitate their legal return.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________This story was translated from the original Nepali version and edited for clarity and length.
