New Delhi: Amritsar will witness the arrival of two special flights carrying illegal Indian immigrants deported from the United States. The flights are scheduled to land over the weekend, according to a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs.
The first flight, with 119 deportees, will land on February 15 at 10:05 pm. Among them, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and 19 from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The second flight will arrive on the night of February 16.
Airport authorities and the local administration have made all necessary arrangements for the returnees.
This development comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue with former US President Donald Trump. He emphasized that India is ready to take back verified citizens living illegally in the US.
Earlier this month, the US deported 104 Indians on a military aircraft as part of a strict immigration crackdown. The deportees were reportedly shackled, leading to a major political controversy in India. Opposition leaders condemned the treatment as inhumane and raised concerns in Parliament.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar assured Parliament that India would work with US authorities to ensure a more dignified deportation process in the future. He also clarified that the use of restraints was part of the US’s standard operating procedure.
The arrival of these new flights marks another chapter in the ongoing immigration debate between India and the United States.
