Return of illegal immigrants: Not 1st time, 21 deportee flights landed in Amritsar since 2020
At a time of intense backlash in Punjab over US deportation flights landing in Amritsar instead of other locations in the country, government sources on Wednesday said this was not the first time deportation flights had landed in Amritsar.
Sharing details, official sources said between May 19, 2020 and October 25, 2024, as many as 18 flights carrying illegal Indian immigrants had landed in Punjab’s Amritsar.
The latest three US flights that brought Indians back home — on February 5, 15 and 16 — take that number to 21. On a The Tribune query about why deportees continue to be sent home in shackles despite India vowing to take up the issue with the US, government sources pointed to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Air Operations Handbook, which mandates transport of illegal immigrants in handcuffs ensure no passenger poses a threat to himself or to flight safety.
The US Customs handbook under the section “Restraint Requirements” reads, “In accordance with the Use of Restraints policy, effective November 19, 2012, detainees transported by ICE Air aircraft will be fully restrained by the use of handcuffs, waist chains and leg irons during CONUS and OCONUs fights.”CONUS and OCONUS refer to US military flights that travel between the “Continental United States” (CONUS) - meaning the 48 contiguous states and Washington DC — and locations “Outside the Continental United States” (OCONUS), which includes Alaska, Hawaii, and any overseas military bases or destinations.
Incidentally, amid the raging controversy over inhuman treatment of Indian immigrants on the US flights, the White House today posted a clip on X, showing deportees being chained and shackled. The clip, marked “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight”, shows deportees chained around legs and waist by US cops before being sent on flights to their respective nations. One deportee is seen in the video boarding the flight with chains on legs.
Asked why US deportation flights are landing in Amritsar — an issue repeatedly flagged by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann who has accused BJP-ruled Centre of defaming Punjab by sending deportation flights to the state — government sources said, “The reason is higher number of deportees from Punjab. The three US flights that landed in Amritsar between February 5 and 16, brought back 333 Indian immigrants. Of these, 126 are from Punjab. That happens to be the highest,” said an official source.
The government’s break-up list of Indian returnees from the US, shared today, shows 126 of the 333 deportees (37.8%) are from Punjab; 110 (33%) from Haryana; 74 (22.2%) from Gujarat; 8 (2.4%) from UP; five from Maharashtra (1.5%); two each from Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Chandigarh and one each from J&K and Uttarakhand. The break-up further shows that so far 262 men, 42 women, 29 children (18 boys; 11 girls) have returned from the US with their families.
BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh, who hails from Amritsar, said the AAP government in the state must stop politicising the issue and apprehend traffickers who played with the lives of lakhs of innocent youth. “Bhagwant Mann needs to answer who has been sending the innocent youth of Punjab illegally to the US and why are they not being caught. Why are there no jobs in Punjab? Which traffickers spoiled their lives and forced them to sell lands and houses. What did Mann do against these traffickers?” he said.
‘Chose Punjab landing as max from state’
An official source said the Amritsar airport was chosen for the landing of the flights as the maximum 126 deportees belonged to Punjab. The three US flights that landed in Amritsar between February 5 and 16 brought back 333 Indian immigrants from that country
