A United States military C-17 aircraft carrying 104 deported Indian nationals landed at Amritsar airport on Wednesday afternoon. The deportees were from Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The flight, which departed from San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday afternoon, also had 11 crew members and 45 US officials on board.
Officials revealed that the highest number of deportees—33 each—were from Gujarat and Haryana, followed by 30 from Punjab. Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh each had three deportees, while two were from Chandigarh, according to The Indian Express.
Women and minors among deportees
Among the deportees were 25 women and 12 minors, with the youngest being just four years old. Additionally, 48 individuals were under the age of 25.
The deportations are part of increasing US immigration enforcement measures targeting individuals who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas. These actions align with former US President Donald Trump’s strict stance against illegal immigration, which affects an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.
Security arrangements in Punjab
Ahead of the flight’s arrival, Punjab Police made extensive security arrangements at Amritsar airport. Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav stated, “We discussed this in a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister today. He instructed the Punjab government to receive them in a friendly manner,” as per The Indian Express.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured that the state would provide all possible assistance to the returnees. Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal supported the deportation, stating that sending illegal residents back home was preferable to their incarceration in the US.
Travel plans for deportees
Officials stated that individuals from Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh would be sent home by road, while those from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh would likely be flown to their respective states. A Punjab Police officer mentioned that a background check had been conducted, and no criminal records were expected, as the Centre had already scrutinized the list before deportation.
A police officer in Gujarat confirmed that deportees from the state would likely arrive in Ahmedabad via a private airline from Amritsar. The Gujarat home department is coordinating their transfer and conducting verification of their criminal records, documents, and Indian identity proof. The individuals are expected to reach Gujarat by Thursday.
Investigating routes and entry into the US
Among the Gujarat deportees, seven were minors. Officials are examining the routes taken by these individuals and the nature of their entry and stay in the US. “When Indian nationals were previously deported from Vatry airport, police recorded their statements to investigate the role of local agents. This time, we will also try to understand their journey and follow the necessary instructions,” said an official.
In December 2023, a Nicaragua-bound chartered flight from the UAE, carrying 303 Indians, was grounded at France’s Vatry airport on suspicion of human trafficking. Around 70 passengers from Gujarat returned home in batches and faced an inquiry by the Gujarat CID.