Second batch of 119 illegal immigrants from US to reach India today

February 15, 2025

Amritsar: A second group of 119 illegal immigrants from the US, including 67 Punjabis, is set to arrive at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Saturday night via a special flight, officials confirmed. Another flight carrying deportees from the US is scheduled to arrive on February 16.

This follows the arrival of a US military plane carrying 104 deportees that landed in Amritsar on February 5.

The upcoming flight will consist of 67 individuals 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.

These deportations represent the second wave of returns initiated by the Trump administration as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration. The flight is expected to touch down around 10 p.m. on Saturday.

US immigration authorities are intensifying efforts to address illegal entries and visa overstays, and sources indicate that deportations will continue bi-weekly, with similar flights bringing back Indian nationals in the weeks ahead.

The Indian government is actively working through diplomatic channels to repatriate its citizens affected by these deportations. While this process has caused distress for many families, authorities stress that these actions are necessary to combat illegal immigration, and individuals wishing to return will receive assistance.

This deportation follows a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, where they discussed the need to combat the “ecosystem” that entices individuals from modest backgrounds with false promises of success in foreign countries. PM Modi emphasized that anyone who enters and resides illegally in another country has no legal right to stay there.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has opposed the decision to have the deportees’ flights land in Amritsar, calling it a “conspiracy by the Union government to tarnish the image of Punjab and its people.” During a media interaction, he highlighted that despite Punjab’s significant contributions to the nation, the choice of Amritsar for these landings appears to be an attempt to defame the state on a global scale.

Mann criticized the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for selecting Amritsar when there are numerous other airports available. He has raised this concern with both the MEA and the Ministry of Home Affairs but claims he has not received a satisfactory response.

He also pointed out the risks posed by a hostile neighbor just 40 kilometers away from Amritsar, questioning the rationale behind landing a US Army plane in the region.