Jalandhar youth faces deportation

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 20

Having gone to the US in October 2016, a city youth, who had dreams to make it big in life, is now detained at the Otero Processing Centre in Texas, facing deportation, while his family back home hopes for his safety.

As per the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA), over 70 from Punjab have been detained. While 50 youths were arrested at the Texas border last week and sent to Otero, others have been there for over a year.

In his 20s, the city youth is a state-level sportsman. Unwilling to disclose his identity, the youth’s father, who is a government employee, said: “It was his dream to work in the US, but destiny had other plans. Now they are deporting him. We never thought it would end like this. Who would like to spend all his life’s savings and see their child’s dream shatter?”

He said: “He talked to us on Tuesday night. Some of his friends have made it to the US. But he was arrested on the Mexico border and has been in prison for one-and-a-half years. We have been talking to him on and off.”

He said they had no complaint against the travel agent who had promised to take him to the US. “He did what he promised,” he added.

Speaking on why they sought asylum for their child, he said: “What will he get here for which he should come back? He would have been happy there pursuing what he wanted.” The youth’s brother, a high school student, said: “I do want to go abroad ever in my life.”