A US plane carrying 119 Indian nationals deported for illegally entering the country is scheduled to land at Amritsar airport on Saturday (February 15) night, with another flight expected the following day.
The aircraft, part of a crackdown on illegal immigration under President Donald Trump’s administration, is expected to arrive around 10 pm.
Among the deportees, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, and two each from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Goa. One individual each is from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, PTI reported citing sources.
A similar flight last week brought 104 deportees, including 33 each from Haryana and Gujarat and 30 from Punjab. Many of those returning to Punjab said they had attempted to migrate to the US for better opportunities but were detained at the border and sent back in shackles.
Following Trump’s return to office last month, US authorities have intensified operations against illegal immigrants.
Many deportees had entered the country through unauthorised routes, including the so-called “donkey route,” an illegal and often dangerous pathway used to reach the US.
The latest deportation flights have sparked political debate in Punjab. State Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema questioned why such flights were landing in Punjab rather than in states like Gujarat, Haryana, or Delhi.
“The BJP-led Central government wants to defame Punjab,” Cheema said on Thursday (February 13) in response to questions about the upcoming arrival of deportees.
In response to the growing number of deportations, the Punjab government has launched a special investigation into human trafficking networks.
A senior police official said a special investigation team (SIT) has registered 10 FIRs against fraudulent immigration consultants based on statements from returnees.
With inputs from PTI
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US plane with 119 deportees to land in Punjab on Feb 15, another flight arriving on Sunday
