US Deportation: Indians Brought Bound and Chained?

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

The US deported 104 Indian immigrants, including women and children. Deportees claimed they were brought back with their hands and feet bound. Some also reported being defrauded by travel agents. The action occurred under Trump administration’s immigration policies. Plans are underway to send back 18,000 more Indians.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

Under the Donald Trump administration, the US deported 104 illegal Indian immigrants. Among these immigrants were 19 women and 13 minors, who arrived in Amritsar on Wednesday. This US Deportation has become a topic of discussion. The safety of Indian Immigrants is always questionable.

The deported Indian nationals claimed that they were sent back on a military aircraft with their hands and legs cuffed throughout the journey. Jaspal Singh, a 36-year-old man from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, one of the deportees, stated that they were only unshackled after landing in Amritsar. “We thought we were being taken to another camp. Then a police officer told us that we were being taken to India. We were handcuffed, and our legs were chained. These were opened at Amritsar airport,” he told news agency PTI. Singh added that he was kept in custody in the US for 11 days before being sent back home. This US Deportation is not an isolated incident.

However, earlier on Wednesday, the government fact-checked a photo, which was widely shared on social media with the claim that Indian migrants were handcuffed and their legs were chained during deportation, saying it was actually of Guatemalan nationals, not Indians.

Jaspal Singh was among several other Indians who were captured by the US Border Patrol along the Mexican border on January 24. He said he was defrauded by a travel agent who had promised to send him to the US legally.

“I had asked the agent to send me with a proper visa, but he deceived me,” said Jaspal, adding that the deal was made for Rs 30 lakh. “A huge sum was spent. The money was borrowed.”

Harwinder Singh, another deportee from Punjab, said he was taken through Qatar, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Panama, and Nicaragua before reaching Mexico. While travelling from Mexico to the US, “We crossed hills. A boat that was carrying me along with other people was about to capsize in the sea, but we survived,” he said. Harwinder also said he saw one person dying in the Panama jungle and one drowning in the sea. The dangers faced by Indian Immigrants are substantial.

Another deportee from Punjab shared that their “clothes worth Rs 30,000–35,000 were stolen” during the ‘donkey route’ journey to the US.

Out of the first batch of 104 illegal immigrants, 33 were from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh. The deportees included 19 women and 13 minors, including a four-year-old boy and two girls aged five and seven.

The US deportation of Indian immigrants came just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington for wide-ranging talks with President Donald Trump. According to sources, US officials have prepared a list of 18,000 undocumented Indians to be sent back to India.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

The US deported 104 Indian Immigrants. Deportees claim they were brought back bound and chained. Many were defrauded by agents. This action falls under the Trump administration’s immigration policy. 18,000 more Indians will be sent back.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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