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A second aircraft carrying 119 Indians deported from the United States is scheduled to land at Amritsar International Airport on Saturday, February 15. Among the 67 passengers on board, the majority are from Punjab, with others hailing from Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, and Jammu & Kashmir. Another flight with deportees is expected to arrive on February 16.
It remains unclear whether the deportees will be flown back on a US aircraft or if the Indian government has arranged a flight for their return. Earlier, on February 5, a C-17 aircraft carrying 104 deportees landed in Amritsar, with the majority from Haryana, Gujarat, and Punjab.
Unlike the first group, it is anticipated that the second group of deportees will not be restrained during the flight, following backlash over the treatment of passengers on the initial flight. The manner in which deportees were returned sparked a chaotic debate in Parliament, and the Indian foreign minister vowed to raise the issue with the US government.
PM Modi and US Discussions on Illegal Immigration
The issue of illegal immigration was also discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the US. It was raised in talks with President Donald Trump, with both leaders agreeing to take action on the matter.
Details of the Second Flight
The second flight is expected to arrive at Amritsar Airport between 10 pm and 11 pm on Saturday. Among the 119 deportees on this flight, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, and two each from Maharashtra and Rajasthan. There is one deportee each from Himachal Pradesh, Goa, and Jammu & Kashmir.
Punjab CM Bhawant Mann’s Response
In response to the landing of the second deportees' flight in Amritsar, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann questioned the Ministry of External Affairs about why Amritsar had been selected as the destination. Speaking to ANI, Mann stated, “You select Amritsar to defame Punjab... So, at the time when PM Modi and (US President) Trump were meeting, they (US authorities) must have been putting shackles on our people. Is this the gift Trump has given?"
Illegal Immigration Routes and Action Against Agents
Many of the deportees on the first flight had reportedly entered the US illegally through the "dunkey" route, a dangerous and arduous journey facilitated by unauthorized agents for large sums of money. In response to this, the Punjab and Haryana governments have taken action, arresting several agents involved in the illegal immigration network.
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