US deports 205 Indian migrants amid Donald Trump's border crackdown

Punjab officials will receive those deported at Amritsar airport

On Tuesday, the United States deported (US) the first batch of undocumented Indian migrants, sending a US C-17 military aircraft carrying 205 Indian citizens who were residing illegally in the country. Punjab government officials said they would receive the 205 deported Indians, hailing from Punjab and neighboring states, at Amritsar airport. The aircraft is scheduled to land in Amritsar in the early hours of Wednesday. 

Punjab’s Minister for NRI (Non-Resident Indians) Affairs, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, expressed disappointment over the US decision to deport these individuals. He stated that they had contributed to the US economy and should have been granted permanent residency instead of being deported. In a statement issued in Amritsar, Dhaliwal called the deportation of Indians from the US a “very serious” issue and said he plans to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar next week to discuss the concerns of Punjabis living in the US. 

When asked about reports of the US aircraft carrying illegal immigrants landing in Amritsar, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the matter was discussed in a meeting in Chandigarh. “The CM (Bhagwant Mann) said that from the Punjab government’s side, we will receive our immigrants and set up counters for them at the airport,”|he stated. “We are in touch with the Centre. As and when information comes, we will share it,” the DGP added. Mann held a meeting in Chandigarh with police officials to discuss various issues. 

US President Donald Trump has threatened trade action against countries that refuse to comply with his immigration policies. New Delhi has previously stated that it will take back any Indian citizens living illegally in the US after verifying their nationality. US authorities have identified nearly 18,000 Indians residing in the country without legal status. 

India has expressed its willingness to cooperate with the Trump administration on the issue while also seeking to protect the legal immigration of its skilled workers and students. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to travel to Washington next week, where he will meet Trump. The two leaders spoke on January 27, discussing immigration, security cooperation, and bilateral trade ties. Following their conversation, Trump stated that India “will do what is right” regarding the deportation of illegal migrants from the US.

  Earlier in the day, a US Embassy spokesperson in New Delhi said the US is rigorously enforcing its border policies, tightening immigration laws, and removing illegal migrants. "These actions send a clear message: illegal migration is not worth the risk," he added.

 

Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated its opposition to illegal immigration and confirmed that India would take back its citizens residing illegally in the US once their nationality is verified. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on January 24 that India opposes illegal immigration due to its links to organized crime. "We will take them back, provided documents are shared with us so we can verify their nationality and confirm they are indeed Indians," he said. However, Jaiswal also noted that it would be "premature" to discuss the exact number of illegal Indian immigrants in the US.

 

A US Department of Homeland Security report published last year estimated the number of illegal Indian immigrants in the US at around 220,000 as of 2022.