Amritsar: A flight carrying 119 illegal Indian immigrants is likely to land in Amritsar at around 10 pm on February 15, said official sources on Friday. Among the 119 people, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Another US military transport aircraft, C-17 Globemaster III, is scheduled to land at Amritsar International Airport on 16 February, carrying approximately 119 Indian nationals, PTI reported, citing sources. The movement follows the deportation of 104 individuals earlier, marking another phase in the US government's intensified crackdown on undocumented immigrants. According to sources, the deportees comprise 67 persons from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
Deportations will continue every other week till all illegal immigrants are returned to their home countries, according to the official sources.
Their removal is part of an ongoing crackdown by US immigration authorities on individuals who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas.
The deportations come in the immediate wake of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, where he met President Donald Trump to discuss key bilateral issues, including immigration.
During a joint press conference, Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to repatriating verified Indian nationals while stressing the need to combat human trafficking networks that exploit vulnerable migrants.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday questioned the likely landing of another plane carrying illegal Indian immigrants from the US at the Amritsar airport as he hit out at the Centre, accusing it of trying to defame Punjab as part of a conspiracy.
"The BJP-led Centre always discriminates against Punjab. It does not let go of any chance of defaming Punjab," alleged Mann, while addressing the media in Amritsar.
"As part of a conspiracy, they are trying to defame Punjab and Punjabis," he added.
The chief minister said he has already raised this issue with the Centre but hasn't received any positive response from them.
Asked if he was politicising the issue, Mann retorted, "Is this politicising, you tell me. We are political people and we have won on that basis (electoral politics), we are not an NGO. If caring about the honour of our youths and children is politics, then I will do it 24x7".
Mann said the first US plane carrying illegal Indian immigrants had 33 people from Haryana and Gujarat each and 30 from Punjab.
"Now the second plane is coming. It will also land at Amritsar airport tomorrow. Why? What is the criterion for choosing Amritsar? The centre and Ministry of External Affairs should tell me. Why did you choose Amritsar and not the national capital? You did this to defame Punjab and Punjabis," said Mann.
He said deportation is a national problem, but it is being made to appear that only Punjabis migrate illegally.
"It is a deliberate attempt so that it appears that only Punjabis migrate illegally," Mann said.
The treatment of deported Indians, who arrived in handcuffs and shackles, sparked a major controversy in the country.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) defends the treatment as a standard security protocol used on deportation flights to prevent escape attempts or disruptions.
Critics, however, argue that the practice is excessive and inhumane, especially for individuals who have committed no crimes beyond immigration violations. (With inputs from agencies).
