A U.S. military aircraft carrying 104 deported Indian nationals landed at Amritsar airport on Wednesday afternoon, highlighting the growing crackdown on illegal immigration under stricter U.S. border policies. Many of the deportees had attempted to enter the U.S. through the perilous “dunki route” in recent months but were apprehended at the Mexico-U.S. border.
Among those deported, 30 individuals hailed from Punjab, while 33 were from Gujarat. Many had spent significant amounts—ranging from ₹30 lakh to ₹1 crore—on agent fees and travel expenses in their bid to enter the U.S. illegally.
Pardeep Singh, a 21-year-old from Jurait village in Mohali, left home six months ago and was caught at the Mexico-U.S. border two weeks ago after spending ₹42 lakh. Similarly, Jaswinder Singh (30) from Fatehgarh Sahib and Amrit Singh (18) from Patiala were detained in January after spending ₹50 lakh each on their journey.
Women were also among those deported. Lovepreet Kaur from Kapurthala attempted to cross the border with her minor son after legally reaching Mexico on a Schengen visa. She was arrested on January 27 and deported on February 5 after reportedly spending ₹1 crore. A 29-year-old woman from Vadodara faced a similar fate.
Many deportees had initially entered European countries on tourist visas before heading to South America and attempting to cross into the U.S. Immigration consultants warn that this is just the beginning, with over 20,000 undocumented Indians in the U.S. facing potential deportation.
With increased enforcement, undocumented immigrants now face random legal status checks, including in schools, making it harder to evade authorities.
The large-scale deportation has sparked fresh debate in Punjab and Gujarat, with calls for curbing illegal migration and addressing its root causes. Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Sukhwinder Kaur emphasized the need for better job opportunities in India, while Lok Bhalai Party president Balwant Singh Ramoowalia urged action against travel agents exploiting desperate migrants.
Experts also questioned why parents encourage illegal migration, with Nitin Chawla of the Association of Consultants for Overseas Studies stating, “Many who take the ‘dunki route’ can’t clear IELTS. If they struggle with English, how will they survive abroad?”
As the crackdown on illegal immigration intensifies, deported individuals and their families now face uncertain futures, prompting renewed calls for government intervention to prevent further exploitation.