A US military aircraft with 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at the Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport in Amrtisar on Wednesday. The US military plane C-17, which carried illegal immigrants hailing from Punjab and neighbouring states, was earlier expected to land in the morning. Moreover, the Amritsar Police barricaded the road leading to the Aviation Club at Amritsar International Airport and beefed up the security measures.
It is being reported that the Indians being deported from the US will first be brought to the Aviation Club where they will undergo complete background check, including criminal record as well as immigration record, and only after that, they will be allowed to leave. The state authorities of the concerned states to which these deported people belong have also been informed about their arrival.
Here’s the information of 104 Indians being deported:
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday that the state government would receive the immigrants and set up counters at the airport.
Punjab NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Tuesday expressed disappointment over the US government’s decision and said these individuals, who contributed to that country’s economy, should have been granted permanent residency instead of being deported.
The majority of the persons being deported belong to Punjab
He said many Indians entered the US on work permits, which later expired, making them illegal immigrants. The minister said he plans to meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar next week to discuss the concerns and interests of Punjabis living in the US.
Dhaliwal had also appealed to Punjabis not to travel abroad through illegal means, emphasising the importance of acquiring skills and education to access opportunities worldwide. He encouraged people to research legal ways and acquire education and language skills before travelling abroad.
After Donald Trump assumed office as the US president last month, the country’s law enforcement agencies launched a crackdown against illegal immigrants.
Many people from Punjab, who entered the US through “donkey routes” or other illegal means by spending lakhs of rupees, are now facing deportation.
(With agency inputs)