 "54 Indians, including 50 from Haryana, deported from US for illegal entry")
The United States has deported 54 Indians, at least 50 of whom hailed from Haryana, for allegedly entering the country illegally via the infamous ‘donkey route’. The deported men arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, the police said on Sunday.
According to an ANI report, of the 54 deported men, 16 were from Karnal, 15 from Kaithal, five from Ambala, four from Yamunanagar, four from Kurukshetra, three from Jind, two from Sonipat, and one each from Panchkula, Panipat, Rohtak, and Fatehabad.
Citing available data, the report added that most of the deported men were between the ages of 25 and 40. The Karnal Police handed them back to their families; however, no complaints against any agent have been received so far.
Police warn against illegal migration routes
Karnal DSP Sandeep Kumar said, “Today, more Indians were deported from the United States, including 50 from Haryana, with approximately 16 from Karnal district. These individuals, from various villages and towns, had entered the US illegally via the ‘donkey route’ but were deported today.”
He added that the police have returned the deported individuals to their families. “No complaint has been received regarding any agent. We also advise people not to attempt to go abroad illegally. It is a wrong method that leads to significant problems later on,” he said. Kumar added that an investigation is underway and any criminal background among the deportees would emerge during the process. ALSO READ | US immigrant population falls by 2.2 million as Trump fuels fear: Decoded
Indian national arrested for fatal crash in California
The deportations came days after an Indian national was arrested in California for crashing a semi-truck into an SUV, causing a chain-reaction accident that killed three people. The accused, identified as 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh, had entered the US illegally in 2022 via the southern border.
He was initially intercepted by Border Patrol officers in the El Centro sector of California in March 2022 but was later released under the “alternatives to detention” policy of the previous US administration. The policy allows certain migrants to stay in the country while awaiting immigration hearings.
Authorities believe Singh was under the influence of a “stimulant” and failed to apply the brakes, leading to the fatal collision.
US intensifies deportations of Indian nationals
Earlier this year, hundreds of Indians were deported by US authorities as part of a sweeping immigration crackdown. As of August 2025, nearly 1,700 Indians had been deported since President Donald Trump’s return to office in January 2025.
Officials said the deportations were part of an ongoing effort to curb illegal entry through transnational smuggling networks, commonly referred to as the “donkey route”.