A second batch of 117 Indian deportees arrived at Amritsar airport on Saturday night aboard a C-17 aircraft, marking the continuation of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. The deportees recounted their harrowing experience on the journey, claiming that authorities shackled them during the flight, cuffing their hands and chaining their legs throughout the entire ordeal.
The flight, which landed at around 11:35 PM, was the second round of deportations from the United States since the crackdown intensified on February 5. US authorities detained the deportees in various detention centers after they crossed the US border illegally. Reports indicate that authorities subjected them to inhumane conditions while transporting them back to India. A third flight carrying over 100 more deportees is expected to arrive on Sunday, with the highest number coming from Haryana.
Daljit Singh, one of the deportees from the Saturday flight, told reporters in Hoshiarpur that authorities chained both his legs and hands during the journey. He described the experience as extremely uncomfortable and distressing. Similarly, Sourav, a 20-year-old from Ferozepur, recalled that US authorities shackled him on the way to Amritsar. He said they initially informed the group that they were being moved to another camp before revealing they would be deported to India.
Harjit Singh, another deportee from Gurdaspur district, shared that US authorities detained him and others at a border crossing on January 27 and held them at a detention center for 18 days. They deported them on February 13 under similar conditions—handcuffed and with their legs shackled. He arrived in Amritsar early on Sunday morning.
The latest deportation flight follows the arrival of the first US Air Force aircraft on February 5, which carried 104 Indian nationals. Many deportees on that flight also reported that authorities shackled them during their journey, which sparked widespread outrage in India. The treatment of the deportees sparked national controversy, with critics demanding that the Indian government address the issue with the US during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Washington.
The issue gained political traction, with Congress leader P. Chidambaram stating that the arrival of the second batch of deportees would be a “test” for Indian diplomacy. He raised concerns over the treatment of the deportees, asking whether authorities would again handcuff and chain them during their return to India. He added that the situation would reflect the effectiveness of Indian diplomacy in addressing such human rights issues.
While the Indian government has raised its concerns with the US about the treatment of its citizens, the matter has triggered a wider debate on the treatment of deportees and the need for more humane repatriation processes. As the deportations continue, the nation’s attention remains focused on how these incidents will affect diplomatic relations between the two countries.
