A US military aircraft carrying 205 illegal immigrants, primarily from Punjab, will likely land in Amritsar on Wednesday afternoon.
The deportees were flown out of San Antonio, Texas, aboard a C-17 aircraft as part of the US administration’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration.
This marks the first phase of deportations, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Washington next week.
It will be his first trip since Donald Trump assumed office for the second time as US President.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar had earlier stated that India is open to the legitimate return of its citizens residing illegally abroad. He assured US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month that India would accept these migrants after necessary verification.
Speaking on the deportation policy, President Trump noted, “For the first time in history, we are locating and loading illegal aliens into military aircraft and flying them back to the places from which they came.”
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal criticized the US decision. He argued that these immigrants had contributed to the American economy and should have considered for permanent residency instead of deportation.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has directed officials to facilitate the return of the deportees.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav confirmed that authorities are setting up dedicated reception counters at the airport to assist them.
According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 7,25,000 Indian nationals are living illegally in the US, making them the third-largest group of unauthorized immigrants after those from Mexico and El Salvador.
Many of the deported individuals from Punjab had entered the US through illegal means, including the risky and expensive ‘donkey route’.
The Trump administration has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigration since returning to power.
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