EAM Jaishankar clarifies US deportation procedures, rejects claims that Indian deportees were mistreated

S Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs, assured the Rajya Sabha on Feb 6 that returning deportees from the United States had not been mistreated.

He further clarified that the flight, which landed on Feb 5, adhered to the standard operating protocol.

The union government is working with the Trump administration to ensure that the deportees are treated appropriately, he added.

Jaishankar said, "There has been no change, I repeat, no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5. We are, of course, engaging the US government to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner during the flight."

He also explained that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in the US organize and execute deportations.

"The SOP for deportation by aircraft used by ICE, effective since 2012, allows for the use of restraints. We have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained," Jaishankar said.

The minister added that all nations are obligated to repatriate their nationals if it is discovered they are living abroad illegally.

Former Chief Minister and Congress MP from Jalandhar, Charanjit Singh Channi, called the treatment "inhuman" and a violation of human rights.

"The youth were handcuffed and deported on a military aircraft. This is entirely inhumane treatment by US authorities. We will raise this issue in Parliament and urge the central government to take it up with the US government. These youths went to the US to earn a living and have committed no crime—why are they being treated this way? Even during Donald Trump's presidency, Indian nationals were deported in a similar manner,” he said.

Around 104 Indian nationals were deported by the US government after entering the country illegally aboard a C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the US Air Force.

The plane touched down at Amritsar airport at 1:55 pm on Feb 5. The deportees, primarily from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat, include 19 women and 13 minors.

Hours after the incident, the United States Customs and Border Protection (USBP) released a video showing "illegal immigrants" handcuffed and chained at the ankles.

The video, shared by USBP Chief Michael W Banks, highlighted that this was the longest deportation flight to date using military transport.

He added that the deportation mission underscores the commitment to enforcing immigration laws and ensuring swift removals.

Jaishankar's remarks followed the adjournment of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha due to opposition protests, mainly led by Congress MPs, against the deportation of Indian immigrants from the US.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor argued that while the US government has the legal right to deport illegal immigrants, sending them on a military aircraft in handcuffs is an insult to India.

"They (the US government) have every legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country, and we, if they are proven to be Indians, have an obligation to receive them, but sending them like this, abruptly in a military aircraft and in handcuffs, is an insult to India. It's an insult to the dignity of Indians," Tharoor said.

He continued, "This is not the first such planeload, nor is it directly related to the ascent of Donald Trump. There were 1,100 Indians deported in the previous fiscal year (ending September 2024), under Biden, not Trump. As of 2022, there were 725,000 undocumented Indian immigrants in the US—the third-largest group, outnumbered only by nationals of Mexico and El Salvador."

"Since October 2020, US Customs and Border Protection officials have detained nearly 170,000 Indian migrants attempting to cross the border illegally from either Canada or Mexico. They are all subject to deportation," Tharoor said.

A spokesperson for the US Embassy had earlier said that the country is strictly enforcing its immigration and border laws.

He emphasized that the actions taken send a "clear message" that illegal immigration is not worth the risk.

The MEA had announced last month that it would facilitate the return of Indians overstaying or residing in the US without proper documentation.

This move came just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Washington for talks with President Donald Trump.

Congress MP from Amritsar, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, questioned the treatment of Indian youth, saying, “Why were they handcuffed and brought back? We found that illegal immigrants from other countries weren’t treated this way. Why were our youth singled out? The Union government owes us an explanation.”

He also expressed concerns about the plane's landing location, asking, "Why was it allowed to land in Amritsar and not Delhi? It seems the Centre deliberately wants to tarnish Punjab's image."

Aujla further said, "This matter will be raised in Parliament for thorough discussion. Despite the challenges, Indian youth seek opportunities abroad after struggling to find jobs here.”

Since Trump assumed office, US law enforcement has launched a crackdown on illegal immigrants.

Many Indians who paid large sums to enter the US illegally through "donkey routes" or other means now face deportation.

Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, criticized the US government's decision, stating that these individuals, who contributed to the US economy, should have been granted permanent residency instead of being deported.

He explained that many of the deported Indians entered the US on work permits that later expired.

To address the concerns of Punjabis living in the US, Dhaliwal announced plans to meet with Jaishankar next week.