The C-17 aircraft departed from San Antonio, Texas, around 3 am IST on February 4 and was supposed to land in Amritsar on Wednesday morning, but got delayed. A senior official told that the highest number of deportees were from Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab, followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh
According to sources, the plane has brought 205 illegal immigrants, primarily from Punjab and surrounding states, with their hands and feet cuffed.
During initial questioning, the deportees told authorities that they had used different agents and stayed at multiple locations before being apprehended.
“We have been informed that these Indians paid a hefty amount to enter the US illegally. They were cheated by various agents and are victims in a way, but they also voluntarily chose illegal routes to enter the country," a senior government official said on the condition of anonymity.
“Local authorities, along with central agencies, have begun questioning them upon their arrival in Punjab. Allegations range from visa violations to involvement in unauthorised networks. Some were misled by agents, while others unknowingly became part of a larger scheme," the official added.
“The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is closely monitoring the situation, working alongside law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to determine the next steps. Whether they will be prosecuted or not will be decided after an initial round of questioning by different agencies," the official stated.
Indian agencies expect more such deportations from the US in the coming days.
On Tuesday, Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP), Gaurav Yadav, announced that the state government would assist these immigrants upon arrival and establish counters at the airport to manage the process.
Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, expressed his disappointment over the US government’s decision to deport them, stating that these individuals, who had contributed to the country’s economy, should have been granted permanent residency instead. He explained that many Indians entered the US on work permits that later expired, making them illegal immigrants.
Dhaliwal also mentioned plans to meet with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar next week to discuss the concerns of Punjabis living in the US. Additionally, he urged Punjabis to avoid illegal travel abroad, stressing the importance of gaining skills and education to open up legal opportunities worldwide. He encouraged individuals to research legal pathways and improve their education and language skills before traveling.
Since Donald Trump’s inauguration as US President last month, US law enforcement has ramped up its crackdown on illegal immigrants. Many Punjabis, who had entered the US through “donkey routes" or other illicit means, are now facing deportation after spending significant amounts of money.
Trump had signed an executive order on January 20 when he took office authorizing US military to assist in securing the border.
The acting secretary of defense at the time, Robert Salesses, had said in a statement that the Department of Defense would “provide military airlift" to support the Department of Homeland Security in the deportation of more than 5,000 “illegal aliens".
Salesses had said, as mentioned in a New York Times report, that these people were being held by US Customs and Border Protection at the southern border. He noted that the flights would take place after the State Department obtained “the requisite diplomatic clearances" and informed each country.
However, the administration is also using military planes symbolically in messaging around its efforts to crack down on illegal immigrants.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posted images of a C-17 Air Force plane carrying migrants, with a caption, “President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences."
