The C-17 Globemaster of the United States Air Force touched down at Amritsar airport on Wednesday (5 February), carrying 104 Indian nationals deported as part of the Trump administration's intensified crackdown on illegal immigration.
Their arrival marked the first such large-scale repatriation under this policy shift, according to the PTI.
Among the deportees was 36-year-old Jaspal Singh from Hardorwal village in Gurdaspur district, who recounted a distressing tale of deceit and despair.
“Our hands and legs were shackled throughout the journey,” he claimed, stating that restraints were only removed upon landing in Amritsar. Singh had been apprehended by the US Border Patrol on 24 January after a treacherous attempt to enter the United States illegally.
The cohort comprised individuals from diverse Indian states: 33 each from Haryana and Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, three from Maharashtra, three from Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh. Among them were 19 women and 13 minors, including a four-year-old boy and girls aged five and seven.
After preliminary interrogations by Punjab Police and intelligence agencies to verify any criminal backgrounds, the deportees from Punjab were escorted to their respective hometowns.
Singh revealed that he had fallen victim to a fraudulent travel agent who promised legal entry into the US for a fee of Rs30 lakh. “I had insisted on proper visa arrangements, but he deceived me,” Singh lamented.
His journey began in Brazil in July last year, with assurances that subsequent travel to the US would be via air. Instead, he was coerced into an illegal border crossing, culminating in his arrest and 11-day detention by US authorities before deportation.
Singh’s cousin, Jasbir Singh, expressed shock upon learning of his deportation through media reports. “When we go abroad, it’s for the dream of a better future. That dream has now been shattered,” he said.
OtheRsshared equally harrowing experiences. Harwinder Singh from Tahli village in Hoshiarpur narrated his odyssey through Qatar, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, and Mexico before his ill-fated attempt to enter the US.
“We crossed treacherous hills and nearly capsized in a boat. I witnessed a man die in the Panama jungle and another drown at sea,” he recounted. Harwinder had paid Rs42 lakh for the illusory promise of a new life.
Another deportee spoke of the infamous "donkey route" a perilous network used for illegal migration. “We walked 40-45 kilometres, crossed 17-18 hills, and saw people left to die if injured. I’ve seen dead bodies along the way,” he recalled.
Even their personal belongings, valued at Rs30,000-35,000, were stolen during the ordeal.
The timing of these deportations is significant, occurring mere days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Washington for bilateral discussions with President Trump.
These stories underscore not just the perils of illegal migration but also the tragic human cost when dreams are exploited by unscrupulous agents, leaving families burdened with debt and despair.
