As foreign dreams turn sour, worries remain over plight of US deportees

A US military plane carrying 104 deported immigrants landing at the Amritsar airport, handcuffed and heartbroken, has made international headlines but also raised some serious questions. While the mass migrations of Indians, largely Punjabi youth, has remained a matter of debate and grave concern over the past two years, the deportation of illegal migrants from USA might just have larger repercussions, industry experts believe.

“The deportees will be under further distress,” says Bikram Chabal, president, Association of Visa and IELTS Centres, Amritsar. “Monetary losses they have borne would now make them desperate and distressed. The expectations of parents and families for whom they took this risk, will further put them under pressure. Also, the fact that extreme media exposure and public scrutiny on them would not help,” he said.

The situation, says Rajwinder Pal, another immigration consultant working in Amritsar, would now need government intervention. “Some assurance has to be given to them, as most of them took the ‘Dunki’ route to enter USA. With all their assets now down the drain, they need rehabilitation through counselling and skilling, which can only be done through government agencies,” he says.

Lack of quality education and skilling, debts, decreasing farm and rural income, drug abuse have remained major factors for Punjab youth’s enchantment with foreign shores. While doing so, risking it all seems irrelevant. “Going by the trend, 10 out of 100 would again try to migrate via any means to any other country though the ones deported would have few options left now,” says Chabal.

The number of illegal immigrants, who made their way into US through ‘Dunki’ route is massive, says Rajwinderpal. “These deported immigrants are the ones, who made it to US recently. No sources here, loans, family dependence, social media exposure, lure of foreign land are all factors that aid in rampant migration, legal or otherwise, among Punjab’s youth. The recent trend of agents sending youth from poor families to the UK via ‘package deals’ results in a majority of them falling prey to illegal migration,” shares Rajwinderpal.

The package system allows youngsters from poor families to get study visa for UK as the agents pay for their visa and other expenses, with a promise to receive the payment back with interest. “Most of those who get study visa to the UK do not even complete two semesters and take ‘dunki’ route to the US or Canada,” says Rajwinder.

Now, when the Trump administration has proved its point of taking strict measures against illegal immigrants, other countries might follow suit, says Bikram Chabal. “Canada might follow and start identifying and deporting illegal immigrants from India. They have already capped student visa entries, work permits and put down stricter restrictions on international students. Also, the genuine students seeking study visas to US and Canada, would now go through more scrutiny,” he said.