US Deports 116 Illegal Indian Immigrants, Aircraft Lands in Amritsar

As the US intensifies its crackdown on illegal immigration, a plane carrying 119 Indian deportees landed at Amritsar International Airport late Saturday evening. Of the 116 Indians deported, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, 8 from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Third Batch of Deportees Expected on Sunday

The second batch includes four women and two minors, including a six-year-old girl. Most deportees are between 18 and 30 years old, according to sources. Another flight carrying 157 deportees is expected to land on Sunday, PTI reported.

Previously, on February 5, a US military aircraft with 104 Indian deportees arrived at Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport in Amritsar.

A relative of one of the deported Indian immigrants shared their ordeal: "He reached the US on January 27. We sold our land and spent ₹50-55 lakh for his journey. Now, they are staying at a relative's house."

Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav has constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) NRI Affairs Praveen Sinha, to investigate fraudulent travel agents involved in deceptive immigration practices.

Reiterating Punjab Police's commitment to dismantling these networks, the DGP urged citizens to report any information that could aid in apprehending those responsible. He also advised people to approach only licensed immigration agents and verify their credentials to avoid scams.

Many deportees from Punjab and other states had entered the US through the "donkey route"-a dangerous, illegal migration pathway that costs lakhs of rupees. Now, they face deportation as US authorities tighten immigration controls.