Over 100 Indian Citizens Deported From U.S. On Military Flight

 At least 104 Indian citizens were deported from the United States on Tuesday night, arriving in India aboard a military aircraft, according to officials from Punjab state. The deportation comes amid intensified efforts to curb illegal immigration.

Deportation Flight Lands in Amritsar

The C-17 military aircraft, carrying migrants primarily from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Punjab, landed in Amritsar on Wednesday afternoon, local officials confirmed. This marks the longest-distance flight yet under a U.S. policy of using military transport for deportations.

Families Struggle with Losses

Many of those deported had spent significant sums in pursuit of a better life in the U.S., only to be sent back soon after their arrival.

Manriasat Singh, whose 23-year-old cousin Akashdeep Singh was among those on the flight, said he “sounded low” after arriving in India.

Akashdeep had left for the U.S. seven months ago, spending nearly $60,000 on his journey—money his father raised by selling two-thirds of their land. Shortly after his arrival in January, he was detained and deported.

“His parents are happy that he has not spent 10 years in jail and is returning. At least he is alive,” Manriasat said.

Rising Migration from India to the U.S.

The number of Indian citizens entering the U.S. illegally has surged in recent years. Government data shows an increase from 8,027 in the 2018-19 fiscal year to nearly 97,000 in 2022-23.

Many of these migrants, desperate for better opportunities, make the treacherous journey through Latin America to reach the U.S. southern border.

Kuljinder Kaur, whose husband Harwinder Singh was among those deported, described the harrowing experience he endured.

Harwinder, a 40-year-old farmer, left Punjab in April last year, paying a travel agent over 4 million rupees (about $45,000) with the promise that he would reach the U.S. in just 15 days. Instead, he was trafficked through multiple countries over ten months, transported in trucks, boats, and vans before crossing the border in mid-January.

Upon crossing, he was detained while buying water. “He was immediately picked up by the army and thrown into a detention camp,” Kaur said. “Then two days ago, he was told he was being sent home. He was put in handcuffs, taken to the airport, and placed on a military flight. For hours, they didn’t have access to water or even basic facilities.”

Calls for Government Action

Lakbhir Singh, a former village leader in Punjab, said one of the deported men he knows comes from a family that sold everything to send their son abroad.

“The family is distraught. They spent thousands of dollars, and now their son has come back with nothing,” he said. “The government should address the root causes of unemployment instead of shaming these young people on television.”

While the Indian government has pledged to reintegrate its deported citizens, local leaders are demanding stronger measures to tackle the economic struggles that drive illegal migration.

Punjab State Minister of Non-Resident Indian Affairs, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, urged higher-level discussions on the issue.

“I request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sit with the U.S. President and find a solution to whatever is happening or is going to happen,” Dhaliwal said.

With migration numbers rising and deportations increasing, the need for a long-term solution remains urgent.