Amritsar, February 5 (The Hindu): A U.S. military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at the Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport in Amritsar on Wednesday (Feb. 5, 2025) afternoon, sources said.
The flight landed at 1.55 p.m.
While 30 of the deportees are from Punjab, 33 each are from Haryana and Gujarat, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh, the sources said.
An official confirmation on the number of deportees is awaited.
Earlier, reports claimed that U.S. military plane C-17 was carrying 205 illegal immigrants.
This is the first batch of illegal Indian immigrants to have been deported by the U.S. Government.
India reiterates readiness to take back nationals ‘overstaying’ in U.S., other parts of the world
After Donald Trump assumed office as the U.S. President last month, the country’s law enforcement agencies have launched a crackdown against illegal immigrants.
Many people from Punjab, who entered the U.S. through “donkey routes” or other illegal means by spending lakhs of rupees, are now facing deportation.
‘Individuals, who contributed to U.S. economy’
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday (Feb. 4) that the State Government would receive the immigrants and set up counters at the airport.
Pictures of Indians getting handcuffed, humiliated while being deported from U.S. saddening: Congress
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Tuesday (Feb. 4) expressed disappointment over the U.S. Government’s decision and said these individuals, who contributed to that country’s economy, should have been granted permanent residency instead of being deported.
He said many Indians entered the U.S. on work permits which later expired, making them illegal immigrants.
The Minister said he plans to meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar next week to discuss the concerns and interests of Punjabis living in the U.S.
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