Trump Immigration Crackdown: Deported Illegals Land In India

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – A U.S. military aircraft carrying 104 Indian nationals deported for illegal immigration landed in Amritsar on February 5, marking the first batch in a large-scale repatriation effort. The deportees included 33 individuals from Gujarat, 30 each from Haryana, and Punjab, three from Maharashtra, and two each from Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, the Indian Express said. Among them reportedly, were 12 minors.

Initial reports had suggested that nearly 200 individuals would be deported, but Indian officials had provided little clarity on the exact numbers until the flight arrived.

The U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport under tight security. The deportation was overseen by 45 U.S. officials and an 11-member flight crew.

Most of the deportees had either entered the U.S. illegally or overstayed their visas.

This deportation comes ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Washington. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has reiterated that India is open to the “legitimate return” of its nationals living illegally abroad. He had conveyed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that India would accept these migrants after due verification.

According to the Pew Research Center, an estimated 725,000 undocumented Indian immigrants reside in the U.S., making them the third-largest group after Mexico and El Salvador. The U.S. has identified approximately 18,000 Indian nationals for deportation.

Deportation flights to India have increased in recent years. Between 2018 and 2023, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 5,477 Indians, including 2,300 in 2020 alone.