The controversy surrounding the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants from the United States has intensified after fresh allegations emerged about the inhumane treatment of deportees on board the second US military aircraft. Daljit Singh, a deportee from Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district, claimed that all individuals on the flight were shackled, with their legs chained and hands cuffed, throughout the journey. His testimony follows similar accounts from the first batch of deportees, which landed in India earlier this month, triggering widespread outrage.
The second deportation flight, a US C-17 military aircraft, landed in Amritsar late Saturday night, carrying 116 Indian nationals. The group included 65 individuals from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, two each from Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the deportees were between 18 and 30 years old, according to official sources. Upon arrival, they underwent immigration and background checks before being allowed to return home. The Punjab and Haryana governments made special travel arrangements to ensure their safe passage.
Singh, who shared his experience after reaching his hometown in Hoshiarpur, revealed that he had entered the US via the perilous “donkey” route—a dangerous, illegal migration pathway often used by those attempting to enter the country without proper documentation. His wife alleged that he had been deceived by a travel agency, which had promised a legal flight to the US but instead subjected him to the treacherous journey.
The Indian government is now bracing for the arrival of a third deportation flight, expected to land in Amritsar on Sunday with 157 additional deportees. Details regarding the flight’s arrival time remain unclear.
The deportation operation is part of a large-scale crackdown on illegal immigration initiated by former US President Donald Trump. The first batch of 104 Indian deportees, including 13 children, arrived in Amritsar on February 5. Some of those onboard the initial flight had described their shock upon learning they were being sent back to India. Jaspal Singh, a deportee from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, recalled that their hands and legs were unshackled only after landing in Amritsar. He, like others, initially believed they were being moved to another detention center before a police officer informed them of their deportation.
The controversy escalated further when Michael W. Banks, Chief of the US Border Patrol (UBSP), released a video on February 6 showing deportees in handcuffs and leg restraints as they boarded the aircraft. The footage fueled political tensions in India, with opposition leaders disrupting the Budget session in Parliament and demanding an immediate discussion on the treatment of Indian citizens abroad.
In response to mounting criticism, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar defended the US authorities’ actions, stating that the use of restraints was part of their standard operating procedure (SOP) for deportations. However, he assured Parliament that the Indian government was actively engaging with the Biden administration to ensure that future deportations are carried out with dignity and without unnecessary hardship.
As the political debate intensifies, the broader issue of illegal immigration and human trafficking networks continues to be a significant concern. The testimonies of deportees like Daljit Singh highlight the exploitation faced by desperate migrants who fall prey to fraudulent agents promising a better future abroad. With more deportation flights expected in the coming weeks, the Indian government may face increasing pressure to not only address concerns over the treatment of returnees but also strengthen measures to curb illegal migration at its root.
