The issue of deportation of Indian migrants staying illegally in the US took an emotionally charged turn when a C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the US Air Force landed at the Amritsar International Airport at around 10pm on February 5, 2025. The first military flight carrying 104 immigrants landed with handcuffs and chained. Of the total deportees, 31 were from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, two from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. When questioned by the Opposition in Parliament, EAM Jaishankar informed that the govt is in talks with the US for considering being ‘Humane’ while returning our people. But surely nothing seemed to have made Trump budge.
A second flight again carrying 116 Indians which landed on February 15, 2025 with the deportees chained, handcuffed and Sikh deportees without their turbans. Coincidentally or not this was synced in timing with PM Modi’s return after meeting with US President Trump. Then a third such arrival in a span of 10 days brought another 112 illegal migrants as part of Trump’s crackdown on such immigrants. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, when asked at his briefing, whether the deportees were brought chained this time too, particularly after Modi Trump meet, informed that ‘women and children were not chained and handcuffed’. Enough to read through if you are a keen IR follower. If Colombia and Mexico could object strongly on their people being sent back unceremoniously, what stopped India from showing a little spine..
A few days back another flight reportedly with some Indians landed in Panama and Costa Rica to be deported to India after some formalities of verification.
India is surely miffed at this manner of disrespectful deportation considering that the deportees were in no way criminals but were people who took loans, spent their family’s savings, sold their land, mortgaged property to go to the US for better job prospects and better life. Did they deserve such treatment even though they were illegal migrants in US!. It just reeked of causing humiliation and disregard. S Jaishankar speaking in Parliament stood up to state a matter of rule saying that such deportations are done as per the rule of the host country. Any contestation here is ruled out as he is undeniably an expert in the field and India’s Foreign Affairs Minister, but his argument smelled more of speaking for the Trump government.
When MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about Indians kept in Panama, he said, ‘they have been undertaken as per a bridge arrangement between US and the respective Governments. Both Costa Rica and Panama have agreed to serve as transit countries for deportees while the US bears all the costs of the operation.’
Denying the reports that US deportees from India are languishing in Panama, MEA said, ‘people who have been sent back to Panama were staying in the United States illegally. Now, they are there in Panama, we are taking care of them. Once their identity is established and we are certain they are Indian Nationals, documentation will be done, and arrangements by relevant authorities there would be made for them to return back home. And hopefully that should happen soon. We are in talks with the Panama Government. Our embassy is in regular touch. They have had consular access. On illegal immigration, we are committed to fight tooth and nail.”
As Trump rushed to execute his election promise of throwing all illegal migrants out from US, India stood watching without a whimper on the human rights violation of Indian migrants. Didn’t PM Modi talk to President Trump on this during his meeting with him! Afterall the issue had great emotional resonance back home as the military plane with handcuffed deportees touched ground before Modi was to leave for US. The second flight was no different. Clearly India could do little to challenge the sovereign immigration laws of the US. Should we claim ourselves to be Vishwa gurus’ or a rising world power!
On a question to Jaiswal in the weekly briefing regarding the number of US illegal migrants in India’s number being 2269 some years back as per Parliamentary records, he said, ‘for those who are living here illegally, our institutions are working on this matter and taking legal action as required. But the concerned agencies would have the figures on how many people are in detention or jail for staying here illegally, and what actions are being taken with them.’ He said he had no information on the numbers. Pertinent to ask here does India have the guts to deport these illegal American migrants in the same way! Maybe ignorance is bliss a lot of times.
Families of deported individuals expressed anguish as their relatives were sent back with little notice and few belongings. Many deportees had spent years in the US, building lives and careers, only to be forcibly removed.
Videos of the deportees have revealed harrowing tales of being mistreated in detention centers. Bleak futures loom large on them. Will the government help them providing source of employment and living now, once they are back! Haven’t heard about it from any deportee yet.
According to reports, thousands of Indians who entered the US illegally, often through dangerous routes via Latin America, were detained and deported. Many of these individuals had sought asylum, citing economic hardships, religious persecution, or political instability back home. However, Trump’s policies made it increasingly difficult for asylum seekers to gain legal protection.
With a focus on border security, stringent visa regulations, and mass deportations, Trump’s policies have disproportionately affected undocumented immigrants. Indians, though not among the largest undocumented populations in the US compared to Latin American migrants, still faced substantial deportations.
The crackdown has also affected Indian professionals and students. Work visa programs like H-1B, which benefited highly skilled Indian workers, saw increased scrutiny. Many Indians overstaying their visas were also targeted. The administration’s decision to tighten visa norms further added to the fears of deportation among the Indian diaspora.
This deportation has fueled debates in India on its causes. Questions like why did these Indians risk their lives to enter the US illegally and why the government was unable to provide better economic opportunities at home. The issue also highlighted the dark underbelly of illegal immigration networks that exploited hopeful migrants by charging exorbitant fees for unsafe journeys.
During his press interaction on Februray 13 in Washington along with President Trump, PM Modi emphasized the investigation of the role of entities involved in illegal immigration that qualifies as organized crime. As per government sources some arrests have been made in this matter by respective state police and Governments to crack down on illegal immigration.
The ruckus in India over these deportations underscores the vulnerabilities of illegal immigrants and the need for stronger Indo-US dialogues on migration policies.
