Mandeep Singh, a resident of Amritsar, embarked on a perilous journey in hopes of securing a better future in the United States. Promised legal entry by an agent, he instead found himself navigating treacherous terrain, dealing with crocodiles and snakes, enduring hunger, and even being forced to trim his beard despite his Sikh faith. His dream was shattered when he was arrested by US Border Patrol on January 27 while attempting to cross into the US from Tijuana, Mexico.
Mandeep was among 112 Indians deported by a US military aircraft that landed in Amritsar on Sunday. This marked the third such deportation amid a crackdown on illegal immigration under the Trump administration. Just a day earlier, another batch of 116 Indians was sent back from the US.
The ‘donkey route’
Instead of the promised legal entry, Mandeep’s agent placed him on the dangerous ‘donkey route,’ an illegal pathway used by migrants. He paid Rs 40 lakh in two instalments, believing he was securing a safe passage. His journey took him from Amritsar to Delhi, then Mumbai, Nairobi, Amsterdam, and Suriname. Once in Suriname, his sub-agents demanded an additional Rs 20 lakh, which his family paid.
From Suriname, Mandeep and others travelled through Guyana, Bolivia, and Ecuador before facing the deadly Panama jungle. “For 13 days, we walked through treacherous terrain, crossing 12 canals filled with crocodiles and snakes,” he recalled. Food was scarce, and survival depended on half-baked rotis and occasional noodles.
After reaching Tijuana, Mandeep and his group were forced to cross the US border illegally, leading to their arrest. Detained for days, they were eventually deported back to India.
(With PTI inputs)