A US military aircraft carrying 116 illegal Indian immigrants landed in India’s Amritsar Saturday evening (February 15).
This is the second batch of Indians deported under the Donald Trump administration, which comes two days after the visit of PM Narendra Modi to the White House and his meeting with the US president.
Among the deportees, 65 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, two each from Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the deportees are in the age group of 18 to 30.
A third US flight carrying Indian immigrants is expected to land in Amritsar on Sunday.
Earlier, the Indian government had said it has identified and confirmed 487 illegal Indian nationals living in the US who would be flown back to their homeland.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that removal orders have already been issued for those 487 nationals.
The official added that the number of deportees could rise further as the crackdown in the US widens under Trump’s anti-immigration drive.
Of those sent on board the first military flight on February 5, several people had tried entering the US using illegal means by spending millions of rupees.
A major controversy erupted in India after US authorities released a video showing the Indian deportees in shackles and their hands tied.
The alleged “dehumanisation” of the deportees was discussed in the Indian Parliament. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to the criticism, stating that the matter would be taken up with the US government.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Second US military flight carrying 116 illegal immigrants lands in Amritsar
