Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney confirmed that 112 individuals were on board the plane carrying the third batch of Indian nationals, who were allegedly involved in illegal migration to the US. The flight landed in Amritsar on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters, Sawhney stated that necessary provisions, including food and diapers, had been arranged for the returnees. She assured that arrangements had been made for them to reach their respective homes.
She said, “112 people have come in this flight. Their immigration is going on right now. Whatever they needed, food, diapers, formula, we have provided everything. We have arranged for everything. Arrangements have been made for them to go home. So, immigration is being conducted and it will take quite some time.”
When asked about the number of women and children among the deportees, Sawhney responded, “We will share the data. Let us finish the immigration finish.”
This aircraft marked the third batch of Indian nationals deported from the US, landing just a day after the second batch had arrived in Amritsar. The deportation flights follow US President Donald Trump’s recent policy actions on illegal immigration.
On February 5, the first batch of deportees had arrived in Punjab’s Amritsar. Addressing concerns regarding their treatment, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured that all necessary arrangements had been made for their stay and travel.
“Our kids are the ones who are coming here anyway, so from here no one can go hungry, we will make arrangements. We have also made staying arrangements for them. They will stay here for a few hours and then go to their respective states as the flights have been booked by the Ministry of External Affairs already,” Mann said in a press conference in Amritsar on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on February 13, reiterated India’s stance on taking back its nationals living illegally in the United States. He also stressed the need to dismantle the “ecosystem” of human trafficking and expressed confidence in US cooperation on this issue.
“Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly the citizens of India – if they live in the US illegally, India is ready to take them back,” PM Modi said during a joint press conference with President Trump after their bilateral talks.
He emphasized that most of these individuals come from ordinary families and are often deceived by human traffickers.
“But it doesn’t stop just there for us. These are people from ordinary families. They are shown big dreams and most of them are such who are misled and brought here. So, we should attack this entire system of human trafficking. Together, it should be the effort of the US and India to destroy such an ecosystem from its roots so that human trafficking ends…Our bigger fight is against that entire ecosystem, and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem,” PM Modi added.