Heart of Haryana: Reality of illegal migration: Kin in debt, dreams shattered
What once brought celebration to Haryana’s villages has now turned into mourning. The deportation of 111 youth from Haryana by the US in three batches this month has left families shattered, struggling with debt, social stigma and dashed dreams. Many of these families had invested their life savings —selling land and taking loans — only to see their children return home empty-handed and distressed.
The deportations have once again exposed the rampant fraud in immigration networks that prey on young aspirants hoping for a better future abroad. Lured by false promises of high-paying jobs, Green Cards and easy lives, these youth were abandoned, left to face humiliation and financial ruin.
A harrowing journey ends in chains
The scale of the illegal immigration crisis is evident from the three deportation flights from the US this month.
Those deported recount harrowing experiences — trekking through forests, crossing rivers and even surviving at sea. Many endured hunger for days and living on biscuits and bread. They braved freezing temperatures, trekking through snow and treacherous terrain, only to be caught, detained and deported.
Worse still, they alleged inhumane treatment by US authorities, stating they were handcuffed and chained throughout their flight back to India.
Kin struggle with debt, regret
Paramjeet Singh from Karnal spent Rs 1.2 crore to travel to the US with his wife and children, believing in the false assurances of job placement and a secure future. Instead, they were detained and deported, losing everything. In a police complaint, he accused immigration agents of harassment and exploitation, stating their passports and phones were seized and that they faced electric shocks, starvation and physical abuse.
Similarly, Anuj, Aman and Ankit, other deported youth, are now burdened with massive debts and social stigma.
Anuj from Jundla village, Karnal, said his family spent Rs 45 lakh, hoping for a better life abroad. He returned empty-handed and deeply in debt. Aman from Atela village, Kaithal, left for the US five months ago with his family's Rs 35-40 lakh investment. He was caught and deported within days.
Many believe that if better job opportunities were available in Haryana, they wouldn’t have taken the dangerous ‘donkey' route.
Crackdown on illegal immigration
Recognising the gravity of the issue, the Haryana Government has intensified its crackdown on illegal immigration networks. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed on April 17, 2023, under then Home Minister Anil Vij to tackle ‘kabootarbaazi’ (illegal migration).
As many as 1,500 FIRs have been registered across various districts and 1,222 immigration agents have been arrested. Moreover, Rs 24.04 crore has been recovered from fraudulent agents.
The worst-affected districts include Kurukshetra with 365 cases and 248 arrests, followed by Ambala (320 cases) and 395 arrests, Karnal (211 cases) and 147 arrests, Kaithal (157 cases) and 141 arrests, Yamunanagar (139 cases) and 54 arrests.
SIT head Sibash Kabiraj and IGP Ambala Range said DGP Shatrujeet Kapur has directed all SPs to actively register cases against fraudulent agents and arrest them. He urged people to follow legal immigration processes, warning that only 36 immigration agents in Haryana are officially registered with the Ministry of External Affairs.
“To tackle this issue of immigration fraud, the state government has prepared a draft of the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Travel Agents Bill, 2024, which will mandate registration and regulation of all immigration consultants,” Kabiraj said.
