External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the deportation of illegal migrants from the US is not a recent practice but has been happening for years. His statement follows the Opposition's outcry over the "inhumane treatment" of 104 Indians deported on a US military transport plane.
"The deportation by the US are organised and executed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authority. The SOP of deportation by aircraft used by ICE which is effective from 2012 provides for the use of restraint. We have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained," Jaishankar said.
A video posted by the US Border Patrol on the social media platform X showed deportees being handcuffed and shackled as they boarded a US military flight to Amritsar. The video, shared by USBP Chief Michael W Banks, included a statement that read, "... successfully returned illegal aliens to India, marking the farthest deportation flight yet using military transport. This mission underscores our commitment to enforcing immigration laws."
A clear warning followed: "If you cross illegally, you will be removed."
The video, accompanied by intense music, depicted the rear door of a colossal C-17 military transport plane opening, a cargo pallet being loaded, and a long line of detained migrants being marched aboard. Their shackled feet caused them to move in a slow, awkward shuffle, evoking the image of criminals or prisoners of war rather than migrants being deported.
The plane touched down in Amritsar, Punjab, on Wednesday night. As the 104 deportees stepped off, their heartbreaking stories of deception and suffering unfolded.
Trafficked, exploited, and betrayed
Jaspal Singh, 36, from Gurdaspur, Punjab, shared that he had given Rs 30 lakh to an agent who assured him of a legal route to the US. However, he was instead compelled to take the perilous and illegal "donkey route" through South America, a pathway commonly exploited by human traffickers.
Harwinder Singh, hailing from Hoshiarpur, Punjab, revealed a much more distressing tale. He paid Rs 42 lakh and was trafficked across several countries, including Qatar, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, and Mexico. "We walked for days, crossed mountains, and nearly drowned. I saw one man die in the Panama jungle..." he mentioned, recounting the terrifying journey.
Political outrage in India
The treatment of deportees has sparked a political uproar in India, with opposition leaders denouncing the use of shackles and calling for a parliamentary debate. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, alongside Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, staged a protest outside Parliament, holding placards that read "Humans, Not Prisoners" while wearing symbolic handcuffs.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also acknowledged the United States' authority to deport illegal migrants but criticized the way it was executed. "If you’re in the US illegally, they have the right to deport you. And if your Indian identity is confirmed, India has an obligation to accept you. However, it was quite unnecessary to transport them in a military plane and in shackles," he said.
Other opposition leaders, such as AAP’s Malvinder Singh, also criticized the US for its harsh treatment of migrants. The issue of shackling deportees was recently brought up by Colombia, which blocked US deportation flights from landing due to concerns about the mistreatment of Colombian citizens. As a result, the two nations reached an agreement to carry out deportations using Colombian military planes.
Pointing this out, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned why India had not taken similar action. "Couldn't we have sent our own aircraft to bring them back? Is this how humans should be treated? Shackled and handcuffed like criminals? The Prime Minister should answer."
Jaishankar, on the other hand, reaffirmed India's position regarding the deportations. "It is the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad," he said.
"We are engaging the US government to ensure the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner," the minister added.
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