The recent deportation of over 100 Indian nationals from the United States has sparked discussions in Parliament, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressing the issue during the ongoing budget session. He emphasized that it is the responsibility of every country to take back its citizens if they are found to be living illegally abroad.
Jaishankar reassured lawmakers that the Indian government is in active communication with U.S. authorities to ensure that deported individuals are treated fairly. However, he also underscored the need for stringent action against the illegal immigration networks that exploit vulnerable individuals. “Our focus should be on a strong crackdown against the illegal immigration industry,” he stated, adding that law enforcement agencies would take preventive and exemplary action based on the information provided by deportees.
The minister clarified that the recent deportations were carried out under standard procedures set by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which have been in place since 2013. He assured Parliament that there had been no deviation from past practices in the February 5 deportation flight.
Despite these assurances, the opposition raised concerns about the manner in which deportations were conducted. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor argued that while the U.S. has the right to deport individuals residing illegally, the treatment of these migrants was unnecessarily harsh. He suggested that they could have been deported on commercial or civilian aircraft rather than on a military flight, advocating for a more humane approach.
The deportation flight, which arrived in Amritsar, carried Indian citizens from various states, including Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Chandigarh. Reports suggest that many of these individuals had undertaken perilous journeys via unauthorized migration routes, often referred to as the “donkey route,” facing extreme hardships along the way.
The situation has drawn attention to the broader issue of illegal immigration, with calls for both the Indian and U.S. governments to address the root causes that drive people to take such desperate measures. As debates continue, the focus remains on ensuring the fair treatment of deportees while taking decisive action against those who profit from illegal migration.
