Illegal migration

THE crackdown on travel agents in Punjab and Haryana after the deportation of 104 Indian youths, including some from Punjab and Haryana, from the US once again exposes a grim reality. Thousands of desperate Indians are being duped into perilous journeys, only to return as deportees, robbed of their life savings and dignity. The arrests of multiple travel agents in Punjab and Haryana following complaints from deportees is a step in the right direction. But it must not be a mere knee-jerk reaction. It should mark the beginning of a larger effort to dismantle the human smuggling networks preying on the vulnerable.

For nearly two decades, unscrupulous travel agents have exploited the region’s youth, promising legal migration but, instead, funnelling them through the hazardous ‘Dunki’ route — an illegal trail across multiple countries, rife with exploitation, physical dangers and legal dead-ends. Many victims mortgage their farmland and borrow heavily, paying upwards of Rs 50 lakh, only to be arrested and deported. Weak enforcement and lack of deterrent action have emboldened these fraudsters. This inaction must end if the treacherous practice is to be curbed.

These cases highlight not only the greed of unscrupulous agents but also the desperation of those risking everything to escape economic stagnation. At the same time, this is not just an immigration issue — it is a policy failure. The lure of illegal migration grows stronger when domestic opportunities are scarce. The Punjab government’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe these frauds is a welcome step, but it must go beyond token arrests. Criminal networks thrive on weak enforcement, lack of awareness and corruption. Strict licensing of travel agents, swift legal action and public awareness campaigns must be prioritised. Without decisive action, another wave of desperate youth will fall into the same cycle of deception, debt and deportation.