A US military C-17 transport plane carrying 104 Indians deported for illegal immigration landed in Amritsar on Wednesday afternoon; the official confirmation on the number of deportees is still awaited. Some news portals have reported the number as 205.
According to news agency PTI, A Total of 30 deportees aboard the flight were residents of Punjab. Further, 33 deportees are each from Haryana and Gujarat, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh.
The aircraft landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport amidst heavy security presence. The flight departed on Tuesday from San Antonio, Texas, around 3 am IST. The deportation is in line with the Trump establishment’s crackdown on illegal migrants.
The deportation took place days before PM Narendra Modi’s visit to the US on February 12, for his first bilateral meeting with Trump after assuming office as president of the United States for the second time.
According to reports, the deportees will undergo verification of documents. All necessary checks will be conducted before they are allowed to leave the airport.
On Tuesday, a US Embassy spokesperson stated that while specific details could not be disclosed, the United States is firmly enforcing its border and immigration laws. The spokesperson emphasized that the actions taken convey a “clear message” that illegal migration is not worth the risk.
While addressing the weekly press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “For Indians not just in the United States, but anywhere in the world, if they are Indian nationals and they are overstaying, or they are in a particular country without proper documentation, we will take them back, provided documents are shared with us so that we can verify their nationality and that they are indeed Indians.”
He further said: “If that happens to be the case, we will take things forward and facilitate their return to India.” “We are against illegal immigration, especially because it is linked to several forms of organised crime,” he further added.
This is the first time that the US has used a military plane to deport Illegal Indian migrants. In October last year, the US had sent back illegal Indian migrants in a charter aircraft.
According to Reuters, one of these military flights is estimated to cost at least $4,675, which amounts to 4.07 lakh in Indian rupees per deportee. ICE deportation flights are far more affordable.
According to Trump, the use of such planes sends a strong message to illegal immigrants and the world: if you enter the US illegally, there will be serious consequences.
Meanwhile, Pictures claiming Indians handcuffed and chained by the legs while being deported from the US are making the rounds on the internet.
However, till the time of recording this video, there is no official word from the MEA regarding the matter.
Hindustan Times conducted a reverse image search and claimed that images do not show Indian immigrants who flew out of Texas and landed in Amritsar this afternoon. Instead, the pictures show migrants deported from the United States to Guatemala on January 30.
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