A US plane carrying 119 Indian nationals, deported for illegally entering the country, is scheduled to land at Amritsar Airport on Saturday, February 15. Another flight will arrive the following day.

Deportees from Several States

Among the 119 deportees, 67 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, and two from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Goa. One person is from Himachal Pradesh, and another from Jammu and Kashmir.

Previous Deportation Flight

A similar flight last week brought 104 deportees, with the largest groups coming from Haryana (33), Gujarat (33), and Punjab (30). Many returnees from Punjab shared that they had tried to migrate to the US for better opportunities but were detained at the border and returned in shackles.

Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

Under President Trump’s administration, US authorities have intensified operations against illegal immigrants. Many deportees had entered the US through unauthorized routes, such as the dangerous "donkey route."

Political Debate in Punjab

The deportation flights have sparked political debate in Punjab. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema questioned why flights are landing in Punjab instead of states like Gujarat, Haryana, or Delhi. "The BJP-led Central government wants to defame Punjab," he said.

Punjab Government Responds

In response, the Punjab government has launched a special investigation into human trafficking networks. A senior police official said that the special investigation team (SIT) has filed 10 FIRs against fraudulent immigration consultants based on statements from the deported individuals.