Amritsar: A US military plane carrying 205 deported Indians landed in Amritsar, Punjab, as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigrants following Donald Trump's assumption of office last month. This action reflects Trump's stringent immigration enforcement policy.
The plane, a C-17 military aircraft, brought back individuals primarily from Punjab and neighbouring states, according to multiple news sources.
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal expressed disappointment over the deportations, arguing that these individuals contributed to the US economy and should have been granted permanent residency instead of deported.
The state government of Punjab had prepared to receive these deportees, setting up counters at the airport for their arrival.
This move is part of Trump's broader agenda to enforce immigration laws more aggressively, with reports indicating that the US had identified around 18,000 undocumented Indian migrants for deportation.
The use of military aircraft for such operations underscores the administration's commitment to using military resources for immigration enforcement, a policy that has been both praised and criticized.
The deportations have sparked discussions on the implications for those returned, including how they will reintegrate into Indian society, and the broader geopolitical implications between the US and India regarding immigration policies.
After Donald Trump assumed office as the US President last month, the country's law enforcement agencies have launched a crackdown against illegal immigrants.
Many people from Punjab, who entered the US through "donkey routes" or other illegal means by spending lakhs of rupees, are now facing deportation.