The Crossbill Team
A US military aircraft carrying 104 deported Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar’s Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport at 1:55 PM on Wednesday (February 5).
The flight, initially expected to arrive in the morning, drew a significant crowd, prompting increased security at the airport.
According to The Indian Express, the deportees comprise 25 women, 12 minors, and 79 men. The aircraft also carried 11 crew members and 45 US officials. Among those deported, 33 hail from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, three from Maharashtra, and two each from Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh. Others belong to Haryana and Maharashtra.
Reacting to the deportation, the Congress party expressed concern over reports of Indian immigrants being handcuffed and humiliated.
Party spokesperson Pawan Khera recalled a similar incident in 2013 when Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was arrested and strip-searched in the US, an act that led to diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
"Looking at the pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated while being deported from the US saddens me as an Indian. I remember in December of 2013, an Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was handcuffed and strip searched in America. Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh registered a strong protest with US Ambassador Nancy Powell," Khera stated in a post on X.
“The UPA govt retaliated sharply. Leaders like Ms Meira Kumar, Sushil Kumar Shinde & Rahul Gandhi refused to meet the US Congressional delegation that was visiting India at that time. Dr Manmohan Singh termed the US action ‘deplorable,’” Khera added.
Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, criticized the US government's decision, stating that these individuals contributed to America’s economy and should have been granted permanent residency rather than being deported.
Meanwhile, immigration experts emphasized the need for self-reflection. Nitin Chawla, an executive member of the Association of Consultants for Overseas Studies (ACOS), Punjab, pointed out that both travel agents facilitating illegal immigration and those willingly using such channels should be held accountable.
“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,” Chawla told The Indian Express.
US President Donald Trump has vowed to conduct the most extensive deportation drive in American history. As part of this policy, multiple flights carrying deported migrants are being dispatched to various countries, including India.
What makes this deportation notable is the use of military aircraft, typically reserved for war zones and disaster relief. Reports suggest these flights are significantly more expensive than commercial deportation charters.
According to Reuters, a recent military deportation flight to Guatemala cost approximately $4,675 (Rs. 4.07 lakh) per migrant—over five times the price of a first-class ticket for the same route on a commercial airline.
This shift in deportation strategy signals a heightened crackdown on undocumented immigrants, raising concerns about its humanitarian and economic implications.
The flight, initially expected to arrive in the morning, drew a significant crowd, prompting increased security at the airport.
According to The Indian Express, the deportees comprise 25 women, 12 minors, and 79 men. The aircraft also carried 11 crew members and 45 US officials. Among those deported, 33 hail from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, three from Maharashtra, and two each from Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh. Others belong to Haryana and Maharashtra.
Reacting to the deportation, the Congress party expressed concern over reports of Indian immigrants being handcuffed and humiliated.
Party spokesperson Pawan Khera recalled a similar incident in 2013 when Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was arrested and strip-searched in the US, an act that led to diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
"Looking at the pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated while being deported from the US saddens me as an Indian. I remember in December of 2013, an Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was handcuffed and strip searched in America. Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh registered a strong protest with US Ambassador Nancy Powell," Khera stated in a post on X.
“The UPA govt retaliated sharply. Leaders like Ms Meira Kumar, Sushil Kumar Shinde & Rahul Gandhi refused to meet the US Congressional delegation that was visiting India at that time. Dr Manmohan Singh termed the US action ‘deplorable,’” Khera added.
Looking at the pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated while being deported from the US saddens me as an Indian.
— Pawan Khera ???????? (@Pawankhera) February 5, 2025
I remember in December of 2013, an Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was handcuffed and strip searched in America.
▪️Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh…
Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, criticized the US government's decision, stating that these individuals contributed to America’s economy and should have been granted permanent residency rather than being deported.
Meanwhile, immigration experts emphasized the need for self-reflection. Nitin Chawla, an executive member of the Association of Consultants for Overseas Studies (ACOS), Punjab, pointed out that both travel agents facilitating illegal immigration and those willingly using such channels should be held accountable.
“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,” Chawla told The Indian Express.
US President Donald Trump has vowed to conduct the most extensive deportation drive in American history. As part of this policy, multiple flights carrying deported migrants are being dispatched to various countries, including India.
What makes this deportation notable is the use of military aircraft, typically reserved for war zones and disaster relief. Reports suggest these flights are significantly more expensive than commercial deportation charters.
According to Reuters, a recent military deportation flight to Guatemala cost approximately $4,675 (Rs. 4.07 lakh) per migrant—over five times the price of a first-class ticket for the same route on a commercial airline.
This shift in deportation strategy signals a heightened crackdown on undocumented immigrants, raising concerns about its humanitarian and economic implications.
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