A flight carrying 12 Indian nationals deported from the United States to Panama arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Sunday evening, according to multiple media reports. This marks the first group of Indians repatriated from Panama after the US deported around 299 illegal immigrants attempting to enter American territory.
The United States is collaborating with Panama and Costa Rica to repatriate deported migrants. As part of this initiative, undocumented migrants from various Asian countries—those who either refuse to return home or whose governments decline to accept them—are being transferred to these Central American nations.
The group of Indian nationals arrived in New Delhi via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight. Among the deportees, four were from Punjab, and three each from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, while the identity of one individual has yet to be confirmed. The four individuals from Punjab were later flown to Amritsar.
The exact number of Indian immigrants among the 299 deported to Panama remains uncertain. These migrants were flown to Panama on three planes last week, following an agreement by President Jose Raul Mulino to allow Panama to serve as a “bridge” country for deportees.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) acknowledged reports of the deportations on Friday, stating that New Delhi is “verifying the details” to confirm whether the individuals are indeed Indian nationals. “Once the verification is complete, arrangements will be made for their return to India,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during his weekly briefing.
The Trump administration has intensified its crackdown on undocumented immigration, pledging to deport millions who entered the US illegally. As part of this effort, three groups of Indian nationals—totaling 332 individuals—have already been deported to India.
Of the 299 undocumented migrants currently in Panama, only 171 have agreed to return to their home countries.