A second batch of 119 Indian illegal immigrants is expected to be deported from the United States and arrive at Punjab’s Amritsar International Airport on Saturday. This follows the recent repatriation of 104 Indians last week as part of the US government's intensified crackdown on illegal immigration.
According to official sources, the flight carrying the deportees is scheduled to land at Amritsar airport around 10 pm on Saturday. Among those being deported, 67 hail from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, sources told news agency PTI.
The deportation has, however, sparked political controversy, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accusing the Centre of deliberately choosing Amritsar as the landing point to tarnish Punjab's image. “The BJP-led Centre always discriminates against Punjab. It does not let go of any chance of defaming Punjab,” Mann said at a press conference on Friday.
Mann questioned why the first flight carrying deported Indians did not land in Ahmedabad, despite having 33 people from Haryana and Gujarat each and only 30 from Punjab. “If the landing location is determined based on the number of deportees from a state, why wasn’t the first flight directed to Gujarat? The BJP is trying to defame Punjabis and Punjab,” he alleged.
The controversy comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump for high-level bilateral talks on Friday. Taking a jibe at Modi, Mann remarked, “Is he bringing back a ‘gift’ from the US?”—referring to the latest batch of deportees.
Following Trump’s inauguration on January 20, his administration has escalated measures against illegal immigration, leading to the deportation of several Indians who had entered the US through unauthorized channels, commonly referred to as “donkey routes.” The practice involves using illicit methods to gain entry into foreign countries.
The first batch of Indian deportees, who arrived last week on a US military aircraft, were reportedly handcuffed during the flight, triggering widespread criticism and political outrage in India. The fresh round of deportations is expected to further intensify debates over the treatment of Indian migrants abroad and the Indian government's response to their repatriation.
The arrival of the latest group of deportees is expected to be closely monitored, with Punjab authorities preparing for their reception and post-arrival procedures at Amritsar airport.
(With inputs from agencies)
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