Life in the united States of America was a blissful dream for Mandeep Singh, an Amritsar bred youth, but it became a nightmare for him, having to face life-threatening situations like fighting with crocodiles or snakes, severe hunger and even to have his beard trimmed forcibly, though belonging to a religious Sikh tradition. His aspirations came to a crushing halt on January 27 when he was arrested by the US Border Patrol while attempting to cross into America through Tijuana, Mexico.
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Mandeep was one of 116 Indian nationals who were deported on a US military aircraft that landed in Amritsar on Saturday night. This was the second batch of deportees sent back amid the Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration. The third group (112 deportees) on Sunday nightfall.
False Promises and the ‘Donkey Route’
Mandeep had been promised a legal entry into the US by an immigration agent. Instead, he was sent on the perilous ‘donkey route,’ an illegal and highly dangerous path used by migrants to enter the country. Speaking to reporters in Amritsar upon his return, Mandeep (38) shared distressing videos and details of the treacherous journey that his travel agent and multiple sub-agents forced him to undertake.
[When I talked to my agent] he confirmed to me that I will enter the US legally within a month, Mandeep remembered.
The agent demanded a hefty sum of Rs 40 lakh, which Mandeep’s family managed to pay in two installments. His journey commenced in August last year when he flew from Amritsar to Delhi, and from there, he was sent to Mumbai before taking a flight to Nairobi. His itinerary subsequently led him to Amsterdam by another country and then to Suriname.
Upon reaching Suriname, Mandeep’s nightmare intensified. They (the sub-agents) even asked for an extra Rs 20 lakh from us and had to pay,” he recalled.
A Dangerous Journey Across Continents
The next phase of his journey was grueling. “We were crammed into a vehicle and driven to Guyana. From there, we embarked on a continuous journey for days, crossing through Guyana, Bolivia, and finally reaching Ecuador, Mandeep said.
The most terrifying part came when they had to traverse the dense Panama jungles, a known death trap for migrants. “We were warned by fellow travelers not to ask too many questions because if we did, we could be shot. For 13 days, we navigated through challenging environment containing 12 channels. Crocodiles and snakes were everywhere. Some of us were given sticks to protect ourselves from the reptiles, he said.
Food was scarce, and hunger became a daily battle. “We ate half-baked rotis and occasionally noodles, as proper food was a luxury we couldn’t afford. We traveled for 12 hours a day, pushing our bodies to the limit, Mandeep recalled.
After doing a short stoppage in the Costa Rica, the parade came back to the Honduras. “In Honduras, we finally got to eat some rice, but that was one of the rare moments of relief, he said. The ordeal continued when they moved through Nicaragua with no food and then on to Guatemala where they were fortunate enough to obtain curd rice.
Arrest and Deportation
At the moment they arrived at Tijuana, the athletes showed it very visibly how the extreme conditions had affected them. When we arrived, my beard was mauled, Mandeep explained, recounting the ordeal of being made an exhibition of.
US Border Police caught Mandeep and the rest trying to cross into America on the morning of January 27.
“We were told that we would be deported. We spent several days in a detention centre and were later sent back to India, he added.
Immigration law enforcement has been strengthed and removals have occurred with increasing frequency. The trial batch of deported Indian immigrants, comprising 104 people, had already landed in Amritsar on 5 February.
For Mandeep and many others like him, the dream of building a new life in the US ended in despair, leaving their families burdened with massive debts and shattered hopes.
