At least 104 Indian citizens were deported from the U.S. on Tuesday night aboard a military aircraft, marking one of the longest deportation flights under the Trump administration’s crackdown on migration. The C-17 aircraft, carrying migrants mainly from Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Punjab, landed in Amritsar on Wednesday afternoon.
Many deportees had taken perilous journeys and spent vast sums—some even selling their land—only to be detained and sent back soon after arrival. Among them, 23-year-old Akashdeep Singh had paid nearly $60,000 for his journey but was deported within months.
Punjab officials and local leaders expressed deep concern over rising illegal migration, citing unemployment as a key driver. State Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to engage with U.S. President Donald Trump to find a solution. As deportations surge, calls for addressing the root causes of migration grow louder.
