Many deported Indians entered US via Mexico just before Donald Trump’s inauguration: Report

Indian nationals, who entered either violated visa norms or illegally entered the United States, arrive at the IGI Airport in New Delhi. (PTI File Photo)

Several deported Indians entered the US via Mexico just before the inauguration of Donald Trump in January, a report said on Friday. As many as 104 Indians have been deported by the US as part of Trump’s crackdown against illegal immigrants. According to a report by the Economic Times, families of these men and women had no idea that they have taken the ‘donkey’ route to enter the US.

The report says that many had paid lakhs for education only to know that their children were illegal immigrants being deported to India. It won’t be an easy road for these people in India as well. Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development’s ex-DG Krishan Chand told the ET that the Indians who have been deported won’t be able to get a regular job anytime soon.

Chand, who has worked on the issue of illegal immigration extensively, says that regular employment would have helped the returnees to repay the debts. But this looks uncertain at the moment, Chand said. Of the 104 returnees, most are from Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat. Two people are from Maharashtra and three are from Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the Opposition has been protesting against handling of the Indian nationals. The Congress and other parties are highlighting the way undocumented Indians were chained by the American officials. However, speaking in Parliament, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that handcuffing of the illegal immigrants was "SOP".