A US military plane deporting over a hundred Indian immigrants landed in India’s northern state of Punjab on Wednesday, the first such flight as Donald Trump’s key policies during his second term in office takes shape.
The C-17 plane which took off from Texas on Tuesday landed at Amritsar’s Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport on Wednesday afternoon.
It comes as Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is likely to meet Mr Trump in the White House next week after he agreed his country would “do what’s right” in accepting US deportations. During the phone call, Mr Trump stressed the importance of India buying more American-made security equipment and fair bilateral trade.
Mass deportation of undocumented people living in the US of various nationalities was one of the key policies under the second Trump administration.
Videos showed the US military plane making a landing with media and family members gathering at the airport.
Those who returned were people identified from Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Authorities in Punjab have made arrangements to receive and process deportees.
A total of 48 deportees are under the age of 25, including 12 minors and 25 women. The youngest passenger is just four years old, the Indian Express newspaper reported, citing sources.
In terms of regional distribution, the highest number of deportees – 33 each – are from Gujarat and Haryana, followed by 30 from Punjab. Maharashtra has three deportees, while Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh each have two.
“We discussed it in the meeting chaired by the chief minister today. He has asked us that the Punjab government receive them in a friendly manner,” said Punjab director general of police Gaurav Yadav.
“We shall set up our counters there (at the airport). We are in touch with the central government. Whenever we shall receive any more information, we will share it.”
The deportation has kicked off a political storm in India with the opposition Congress Party calling out the ruling Modi’ government for staying silent on Indians being “humiliated”.
Pawan Khera, chairman of the Congress party’s media and publicity department, said: “Looking at the pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated while being deported from the US saddens me as an Indian.”
India has said it will cooperate with the US and was ready to accept the deported Indians after verification.
New Delhi said it was against illegal immigration, mainly because it is linked to several forms of organised crime, and has not objected to the US deporting its citizens.
