External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the deportation of 104 Indian nationals from the United States due to illegal entry. The meeting took place amid rising concerns over the treatment of the deported individuals, many of whom were reportedly sent back on a US military aircraft in handcuffs. Jaishankar is expected to address the Rajya Sabha at 2 PM regarding the deportation and its implications.
The US deportation flight, carrying 104 Indians, landed in Amritsar on Wednesday, marking the first large-scale repatriation under President Donald Trump’s administration as part of its crackdown on illegal immigration. The deportees were primarily from Haryana and Gujarat, with 33 individuals from each state, followed by 30 from Punjab, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh. The group also included 19 women and 13 minors, among them a four-year-old boy and two young girls, aged five and seven.
Upon arrival at the Amritsar airport, the deportees underwent interrogation by Punjab Police, as well as central and state intelligence agencies, to check for any criminal records. Authorities are now assessing the circumstances of their deportation and their legal status upon return. The incident has drawn attention to the challenges faced by Indian migrants seeking entry into the US and the need for diplomatic engagement on immigration issues.