48 Indian Immigrants Below Age 25 Among First Batch Deported from the US

Amritsar: A US military aircraft carrying the first batch of 104 deported illegal Indian immigrants landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Wednesday amid tight security. The deportees, primarily from Haryana, Gujarat, and Punjab, were returned on a C-17 military plane that took off from San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday.

According to official sources, the deportees included 30 individuals from Haryana, 30 from Gujarat, and 30 from Punjab. Additionally, two individuals each were from Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, while three belonged to Maharashtra. The group consisted of 25 women and 12 minors, with the youngest passenger being just four years old. Notably, 48 of the deportees were under the age of 25.

The flight also carried 11 crew members and 45 US officials who oversaw the deportation process. A senior Punjab official revealed that most of the deportees from the state hailed from Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Patiala, Mohali, and Sangrur. Some of them had entered the United States illegally, while others had overstayed their visas.

This deportation comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Washington next week. It will be PM Modi’s first visit since Donald Trump assumed office for a second term.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar had earlier stated that India is open to the "legitimate return" of Indian nationals residing illegally abroad, including those in the United States. Last month, EAM Jaishankar conveyed to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that India would accept these migrants following a verification process.

US President Donald Trump, who has taken a strict stance on illegal immigration, previously commented on the policy, stating, "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."

Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal expressed disappointment over the US government's decision, emphasizing that many of these deportees had contributed to the American economy and should have been granted permanent residency instead of facing deportation.

According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 7,25,000 Indian nationals are living illegally in the US, making them the third-largest group of unauthorized immigrants after those from Mexico and El Salvador. Many of the deported individuals from Punjab reportedly used illegal methods, including the notorious "donkey route," paying large sums of money to enter the US.

The US administration has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigrants under President Trump’s leadership, leading to increased deportations, particularly of individuals who entered through unauthorized means or overstayed their visas. This move is expected to have significant implications for thousands of Indians who are still residing illegally in the United States.