Amid growing opposition outcry over the recent deportation of over 100 Indian immigrants by the United States, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the issue in Parliament, noting that such deportations are not a new development. The minister revealed that, over the past 15 years, a total of 15,756 illegal Indian immigrants have been sent back to India from the U.S. since 2009. Jaishankar emphasized that deportations by the U.S. were a longstanding policy and not a unique or isolated event. He suggested that the real focus should be on addressing the issue of illegal immigration, and reassured lawmakers that the Indian government is engaged with U.S. authorities to ensure that deported individuals are treated with dignity.
In the specific case that triggered the current debate, a U.S. military aircraft arrived in Amritsar on Wednesday carrying 104 deported Indian migrants, marking the first such flight under the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on illegal immigrants. Among the deportees, a large number hailed from states like Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, and Maharashtra, with many having spent considerable sums of money, often borrowed through loans, to secure what they believed would be legal entry into the U.S. Unfortunately, these individuals were instead subjected to dangerous and exploitative journeys orchestrated by human traffickers.
The conditions surrounding these deportations have sparked outrage in India. A video shared by U.S. Border Patrol showed deportees shackled and handcuffed, forced to shuffle in a manner more commonly associated with criminals rather than people who had been caught up in the complex web of illegal immigration. This footage, combined with the sheer number of deportations, has ignited intense criticism from opposition members in India, who have lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for not taking more direct action to ensure the humane return of its citizens.
Opposition lawmakers, such as Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, have questioned why the Indian government couldn’t have arranged a more dignified return for its citizens, particularly when countries like Colombia—ranked far below India in terms of global economic standing—have sent aircraft to bring back their nationals in a more respectful manner. Gokhale pointed to the discrepancy between India’s status as the world’s fifth-largest economy and its failure to mobilize similar efforts, demanding to know why the government couldn’t send a plane to bring these citizens home.
In his defense, Jaishankar clarified that deportations by the U.S. are carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and are governed by a standardized procedure that has been in place since 2012. According to this procedure, restraints are used during deportation, though ICE assured that women and children are not subjected to such measures. Additionally, Jaishankar emphasized that the deportees’ basic needs, such as food, medical attention, and bathroom breaks, are attended to during the transit.
However, the real issue at hand isn’t just the manner in which deportations are conducted but the broader context of why so many Indians find themselves in this predicament to begin with. The growing number of deportations, especially since 2019, reflects the immense pressure on U.S. authorities to clamp down on illegal immigration, a trend that has been particularly noticeable in the post-pandemic era. But the underlying reasons for these deportations are deeply tied to the vulnerabilities of these immigrants, many of whom were duped by traffickers and promised a better life only to end up in harsh conditions.
The controversy surrounding these deportations has ignited a larger debate in India about the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens abroad. While the U.S. has made it clear that deportations follow a set protocol, the question remains whether India, given its position on the global stage, should be doing more to ensure the safe and dignified return of its people. The backlash against the Modi government’s handling of this situation shows that, for many Indians, the optics of their fellow citizens being treated like criminals during deportation are just as important as the practicalities of the process itself.
At the heart of this debate lies a complex web of immigration policies, human rights, and national sovereignty. As India engages with the U.S. to ensure the humane treatment of its deported nationals, the government must also reflect on the larger picture: how to address the root causes of illegal immigration while safeguarding the dignity and rights of Indian citizens who find themselves caught in this perilous journey.
