US Plane Carrying 116 Illegal Indian Immigrants Lands in Amritsar
US Deports 116 Indian Immigrants: Military Aircraft Lands in Amritsar
Amritsar: A US military aircraft carrying 116 Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar International Airport late on Saturday night, marking another wave of deportations amid the US government’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. Official sources confirmed that the C-17 aircraft touched down at 11:35 PM, slightly later than the expected 10:00 PM arrival.
This is the second batch of deportees sent back by the US under the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies. The status of their transportation conditions—whether they were shackled like the previous group—was not immediately clear.
Return to Uncertain Futures
Following standard immigration checks, deportees from Punjab were transported back to their homes in police vehicles around 4:30 AM on Sunday. The Haryana government also arranged transport for individuals from the state.
For many, the return was heartbreaking. Several deportees from the earlier batch, which arrived on February 5, shared how they were misled by fraudulent agents who promised them a better future in the US. Instead, their dreams crumbled when they were caught at the border and sent back in chains.
A Costly Journey Ending in Disappointment
Among this new group, 65 hail from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and others from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir. Most of them are young, between 18 and 30 years old. Meanwhile, a third flight carrying 157 more deportees is expected to land on Sunday.
The first batch of deportees on February 5 included 104 individuals, with 33 each from Haryana and Gujarat, and 30 from Punjab.
Families of the returnees are in distress, having sacrificed land, livestock, and savings to fund their loved ones’ travel to the US.
“My family sold an acre of land and spent Rs 50-55 lakh to send my cousin abroad,” said a relative of Gurjinder Singh, a 27-year-old deportee. “The travel agent promised a legal route, but he was taken through the ‘donkey route’ instead.”
Kamalpreet Kaur, the wife of deportee Daljit Singh from Hoshiarpur, shared a similar ordeal. “My husband was deceived. The agent promised a direct flight to the US, but he was smuggled through dangerous and illegal routes,” she said.
Government’s Response & Criticism
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Power Minister Harbhajan Singh met some of the deportees at the airport, assuring them of the government’s support. Dhaliwal urged the deportees to report the agents who defrauded them and promised strict action against those responsible.
Taking a jab at Haryana, Dhaliwal criticized the state for sending police buses used for transporting prisoners to pick up its deportees. “I request Anil Vij, the Transport Minister, to send proper transport. Also, no Haryana minister was present at the airport to receive their people,” he said.
Political Reactions
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann voiced strong concerns about Amritsar being used as a deportation hub. “Do not make our holy city a deportation center,” he urged the central government. He personally visited the airport, ensuring that proper arrangements were in place for the deportees to reach their hometowns. Punjab’s administration even offered to facilitate transportation for those from Haryana.
For deportees from other states, flights were arranged from Amritsar to Delhi, from where they would continue their journey home. The Punjab government also ensured food arrangements for all the returnees.
A Harsh Reality Check
For many of these young men and women, their American dream has come to an abrupt and bitter end. Their families, having invested heavily in their futures abroad, now face financial uncertainty. The crackdown on illegal immigration continues to be a harsh wake-up call, reinforcing the risks of taking perilous and unauthorized routes in search of a better life.