First Batch Of 12 Indian Deportees from Panama Lands In New Delhi Amid US Crackdown

A flight carrying 12 Indian nationals, who had been deported from the United States to Panama, arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Sunday evening, reported India Today.

This marks the first group of Indians to be repatriated from Panama after the US deported approximately 299 illegal immigrants attempting to enter American territory.

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Panama and Costa Rica are collaborating with the United States to facilitate the repatriation of deported migrants.

As part of this initiative, the US is transferring undocumented migrants from various Asian nations-those who have either refused to return home or whose governments have declined to accept them-to these Central American countries.

The latest group of Indian nationals from Panama arrived in New Delhi via Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight. Among them, four were from Punjab, while three each belonged to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The identity of one individual has not yet been confirmed.

Four residents from different districts of Punjab were subsequently flown to Amritsar.

The exact number of Indian immigrants among the 299 deported to Panama remains uncertain at present. These individuals arrived in the country on three separate flights last week, following an agreement by Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino to make Panama a 'bridge' country for deportees.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated on Friday that it had noted reports regarding deportation flights to Panama and was "verifying the details" to confirm whether the individuals in question were Indian nationals.

"Once the verification details are complete, then arrangements will be made for the return of these Indian nationals back home," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in response to a query during his weekly briefing.

The Trump administration has pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants who entered the US illegally.

As part of this intensified crackdown, the US has already deported three groups of Indian nationals, totalling 332 individuals, back to India.

Meanwhile, out of the 299 undocumented migrants currently in Panama, only 171 have agreed to return to their home countries.