In the ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration by the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration, another batch of 119 Indian immigrants is set to be deported. These undocumented US residents living in the U.S., will land at the Punjab’s Amritsar International Airport on Saturday, on the board of an aircraft of the US military.
Deportation will be made by a C-17 US military aircraft transporting people from different Indian states. Of them, 67 are from Punjab, 33 are from Haryana, eight are from Gujarat, three are from Uttar Pradesh, two are from Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and one are from Goa, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. Flights are scheduled to arrive in Amritsar about 10 pm on Saturday.
This deportation is just one stage in a plan to sustain, on a biweekly basis, to deport all illegal Indian immigrants from the United States of America till all illegal Indian immigrants are deported back to their country. As per a Press Trust of India (PTI) report, it is the second in a series of mass expulsions. Only last week, 104 illegal Indian immigrants were deported from the US at the same C-17 military transport aircraft.
PM Narendra Modi’s Stance on Illegally Migrated Population and Human Immoral Trafficking.
The deportation comes in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the US, where he engaged in discussions with President Trump on key bilateral issues, including immigration and illegal migration. During a joint press conference, PM Modi emphasized that India is prepared to take back its citizens who are living in the US without proper documentation.
He then went into detail on the problem, specifying how traffickers of persons can be used to defraud people into illegally entering another country.
They are presented big aspirations and many of them are scammed into walking precarious paths. Therefore, we must also push for a fight against this system, human trafficking. It should be the joint effort of both the US and India to dismantle such an ecosystem from its roots so that human trafficking comes to an end. Our bigger fight is against this entire system, and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in eliminating this threat, PM Modi stated during his address.
Controversy Over Treatment of Deportees
Despite the agreement on deportations, the treatment of deported Indians has sparked widespread outrage in India, leading to a political debate and criticism of the central government. There is increasing concern voiced by a number of opposition leaders about the way in which the returned deportees have been being treated back home and requesting the Indian government to take firm action against such inhumane treatment.
News reports indicate that the deportees were cuffed and chained while onboard. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has supported these practices arguing that they represent standard security protocols that are in place on deportation flights to avoid attempts of escape or to create mayhem. But, human rights advocates and opposition leaders say that it is worse than excessive and degrading–especially, when the only offense committed was an immigration-related offense.
EAM Jaishankar Addresses Concerns
In the backdrop of increasing worries about housing of deportees, External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, raised the issue in Parliament. He assured the public and lawmakers that the Indian government is actively engaging with US officials to ensure that deported Indian citizens are treated with dignity and respect.
Jaishankar however noted that although compliance with immigration laws and adherence to legal frameworks is of importance, humane treatment of persons should, under no circumstances, be sacrificed. He reiterated that the government is working to ensure that Indian deportees do not face unnecessary hardships during their return process.
The Impact on India and Future Measures
The Trump administration’s strict immigration policies have significantly affected thousands of Indian nationals residing in the US without proper documentation. This has exerted an enormous strain upon the Indian Government in terms of how to cope with the process of reintegration of deportees into society, and how to give them the required support.
With the tightening immigration laws in United States, India needs to step up and control the illegal migration. Strengthening border management, increasing awareness about the risks of unauthorized travel, and enhancing diplomatic negotiations are some of the key steps needed to address this growing challenge.
The mass deportations highlight the urgent need for policy reforms and collaborative efforts between nations to ensure safe, legal, and fair migration processes. According to indian government, more rigid framework and publicity drives will likely be introduced to prevent victims falling into the hands of human traffickers and illegal immigrant network.
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