The government on Friday informed that 487 more illegal Indian migrants will be deported from US soon. This comes after a US military aircraft carrying 104 deported migrants, largely from Haryana and Punjab, landed in Amritsar on January five, marking the first large-scale deportation under President Donald Trump’s administration.
Addressing a press conference, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the US has India about “487 presumed Indian nationals” who have been issued removal orders. “We’ve been told there are 487 presumed Indian citizens with final removal orders,” he said.
The Foreign Secretary also indicated that these numbers could rise as more details emerge, but specific information regarding other individuals has not yet been provided by the US authorities. The government has verified the identities of the 487 migrants currently on the deportation list.
A US military aircraft carrying 104 deported migrants landed in Amritsar on January five, marking the first large-scale deportation under Trump’s administration as part of a crackdown against illegal immigrants.
The deportees, who had attempted to enter the United States through unauthorised means, claimed that their hands and legs were cuffed throughout the journey and that they were unshackled only after landing in Amritsar.
On the issue of “inhumane treatment” of Indian citizens by the US, Misri called it a “valid concern” and said the Indian government will raise the issue with the US authorities.
“The description by the EAM of the standard operating procedure relating to the use of restraints which has been communicated to us by US authorities including the immigration and customs enforcement. EAM attracted attention to the fact that these have been in practice for a long period,” he added.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Thursday informed that a total of 15,668 illegal Indian immigrants have been deported to India from the US since 2009. Making a statement in Rajya Sabha over the mistreatment of deportees, Jaishankar asserted that the process of deportation has been ongoing for several years and is not new.
Jaishankar said deportations by the US are organised and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities and “the standard operating procedure for deportations by aircraft used by ICE that is effective from 2012, provides for the use of restraints”.
“However, we have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained. Further, the needs of deportees during transit related to food and other necessities, including possible medical emergencies are attended to,” he informed the house.
Meanwhile, Misri also said India has registered concerns with the US over the deportation of illegal immigrants in shackles and conveyed that this kind of treatment could have been avoided.
His remarks came amid uproar over the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants by the US in handcuffs during their 40-hour flight onboard a military aircraft.
“We do make our concerns known to the United States that this kind of treatment can perhaps be avoided,” the foreign secretary said in response to questions on the deportation.
He said the US policy of deporting illegal immigrants in restraints has been in place since 2012.
“I don’t think there was any protest. We don’t have any record of any protest having been made about it,” the foreign secretary said to a question on whether India had registered its protest on deportation of illegal immigrants in shackles in 2012.
The foreign secretary said India continued to emphasise to US authorities that there should be no mistreatment of deportees. “We will continue to take up any instances of mistreatment that come to our attention,” he said. Misri also stressed on the need to take action against the “real cancer” that is the ecosystem of illegal immigration.