A US military aircraft carrying 104 Indian migrants landed in Amritsar Wednesday (5), marking the first mass deportation under President Donald Trump’s administration. These migrants, who had endured treacherous journeys across continents in search of the American dream, instead found themselves shackled and forcibly sent back to India.
For months, these migrants had traversed mountains, dense forests, and perilous border crossings, risking their lives in pursuit of a better future. However, their aspirations were shattered as they were rounded up in a sweeping crackdown by US authorities. The deportees, restrained throughout the flight, were only freed upon landing in Amritsar.
The group consisted of men, women, and children from various Indian states. Among them, 33 hailed from Haryana and Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, three from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh. The flight also carried 19 women and 13 minors, including a four-year-old boy and two girls aged five and seven.
VIDEO | Gujarat: Indians deported from the US arrive at Ahmedabad airport. A US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar, Punjab, yesterday. Sources said that 33 of the 104 deportees are from Gujarat.#GujaratNews
(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/2y1P9Zoo6R
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 6, 2025
Many of these migrants had paid exorbitant sums—often taking loans—to agents who promised them safe and legal entry into the US. Instead, they were misled and forced to undertake harrowing, illegal routes.
Jaspal Singh, a 36-year-old from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, was among those deported. He had paid Rs 30 lakh to an agent who assured him a legal passage to the US. Instead, his journey took a dark turn, beginning in Brazil, where he was told he would fly directly to America. Instead, he was forced onto the hazardous “donkey route,” a dangerous smuggling path used by human traffickers.
After spending six months in Brazil, Jaspal attempted to cross into the US, only to be arrested by the US Border Patrol on January 24. He spent 11 days in detention before being deported. “We had no idea we were being deported. We thought we were being moved to another detention center. Then they told us we were going back to India. We were handcuffed and our legs were chained until we landed in Amritsar,” he recounted.
Harwinder Singh from Punjab’s Hoshiarpur had an even more grueling experience. He paid Rs 42 lakh to an agent and was taken through multiple countries, including Qatar, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, and Mexico. “We walked for days, crossed mountains, and nearly drowned in the sea,” he told PTI. “I saw one man die in the Panama jungle and another drown at sea.”
Another migrant recalled the horrifying ordeal: “We crossed 17-18 hills. If one person slipped, there was no chance of survival. If anyone got injured, they were left to die. We saw dead bodies along the way.”
For these migrants, the journey was not just physically and emotionally exhausting but also financially devastating. Families back home had taken massive loans, mortgaged properties, and borrowed from relatives in hopes of a better future. Now, they are left grappling with financial ruin.
VIDEO | Gujarat: Indians deported from the US arrive at Ahmedabad airport. A US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at Amritsar, Punjab, yesterday. Sources said that 33 of the 104 deportees are from Gujarat.#GujaratNews
(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/2y1P9Zoo6R
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 6, 2025
According to Reuters, the deportation process itself is extraordinarily expensive. A recent military flight deporting migrants to Guatemala reportedly cost Rs 4,09,331 ($4,675) per person—over five times the cost of a first-class one-way ticket on a commercial airline.
Typically, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) charters commercial flights for such operations. However, under President Trump, there has been a shift towards using military aircraft for high-profile deportations, significantly increasing costs. The C-17 transport aircraft used in this operation has an estimated operational cost of Rs 24,95,388 ($28,500) per hour. Given the flight distance between the US and India, this could be the most expensive deportation flight to date.
Upon arrival in Amritsar, the deported migrants were questioned by Punjab Police and central intelligence agencies to verify any criminal records. The deportation has also sparked a political uproar in India, with opposition parties criticizing the government’s handling of the issue.
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned after protests erupted over the deportations. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla urged members to maintain decorum, stating, “Your matter is with the government. This is the matter of the Ministry of External Affairs. This subject is related to another country. The government has taken cognizance of it. I request you not to resort to planned disruptions to prevent the smooth functioning of the House.”
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the growing controversy. The incident comes just days before Modi’s visit to Washington, where immigration policies are expected to be a central topic in discussions with President Trump.
Trump has frequently portrayed illegal immigration as an “invasion” and has used dehumanizing terms like “criminals” and “aliens” to describe undocumented migrants. The decision to use military planes for deportations sends a strong political message about his administration’s hardline stance on immigration enforcement.
As the Indian government grapples with the fallout, thousands of hopeful migrants are left questioning whether their American dream is worth the risk.
