A US military aircraft carrying the first batch of 104 Indian nationals deported for illegal immigration landed at the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar, Punjab, on Wednesday under tight security. The C-17 military aircraft, which departed from San Antonio, Texas, marks the beginning of a large-scale deportation drive under President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown.
Among the deported individuals, the highest numbers were from Haryana (30), Gujarat (30) and Punjab (30), followed by Maharashtra (3), Uttar Pradesh (2), and Chandigarh (2). The group included 25 women and 12 minors, with the youngest passenger being just four years old. Additionally, 48 individuals were below the age of 25. The flight also carried 11 crew members and 45 US officials overseeing the deportation process.
Punjab Dominates Deportation List Amid Rising Illegal Immigration
A senior Punjab government official stated that most deportees from the state hailed from Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Patiala, Mohali, and Sangrur. Many had entered the United States through illegal channels, while others had overstayed their visas.
Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal voiced his disappointment, arguing that many of these deportees had contributed to the US economy and should have been granted permanent residency rather than being expelled.
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown and PM Modi’s US Visit
This first round of mass deportation comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Washington next week, his first since Trump assumed office for a second term.
President Donald Trump has prioritized immigration enforcement, stating last month: “For the first time in history, we are locating and loading illegal aliens into military aircraft and flying them back to the places from which they came.”
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According to Pew Research Center, approximately 7,25,000 undocumented Indian immigrants currently reside in the US, making them the third-largest group of unauthorized immigrants after Mexico and El Salvador.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar previously assured that India is open to taking back its nationals, provided their identities are verified. Last month, during a discussion with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he reaffirmed India’s stance on facilitating the return of illegal Indian immigrants.
“Donkey Route” Smuggling Network Under Scrutiny
Many Punjabi migrants facing deportation had entered the US through the infamous “donkey route” — a dangerous and illegal immigration network that smuggles people into the US through Latin American countries in exchange for large sums of money.
The US administration has tightened immigration controls, targeting those who overstay their visas or enter the country illegally. This has heightened concerns among thousands of Indian families, as more deportation flights are expected in the coming months.
With Trump’s hardline immigration policies in full force, the fate of thousands of undocumented Indian migrants remains uncertain, while India prepares to accept more returnees in the near future.
