Deportation from the US: “Going on for years,” says S. Jaishankar in Parliament
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Amid political firestorm raised by the deportation of the first batch of illegal immigrants, who landed in Amritsar on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the deportation of such migrants from America has been ongoing for years.
His remarks came amid the Opposition’s outrage over the “inhuman treatment of the 104 Indians deported on a US military transport aircraft,” the media reported.
“The deportations by the US are organised and executed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authority. The SOP of deportation by aircraft used by ICE, which is effective from 2012, provides for the use of restraint. We have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained,’ Dr. Jaishankar said.
Reiterating India’s stance on the deportations, he said, “It is the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad,” he said.
“We are engaging the US government to ensure the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner,” he added.
Former diplomat and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also acknowledged the US’ right to deport illegal migrants but criticised the manner in which it was done. “If you’re in the US illegally, they have the right to deport you. And if your Indian identity is confirmed, India has an obligation to accept you. However, it was quite unnecessary to transport them in a military plane and in shackles,” he said.
A video shared by the US Border Patrol on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, showed the returnees handcuffed and their legs shackled as they boarded the US military aircraft for Amritsar. The video, posted by USBP chief Michael W. Banks, was accompanied by a statement that read, “… successfully returned illegal aliens to India, marking the farthest deportation flight yet using military transport. This mission underscores our commitment to enforcing immigration laws.”
“If you cross illegally, you will be removed.”
The video showed the rear door of a massive C-17 military transport plane opening, a cargo pallet being loaded, and a long line of detained migrants being marched on board.
The treatment of the deportees triggered a political firestorm in India, with opposition leaders condemning the use of shackles and demanding a discussion in Parliament. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav, staged a protest outside Parliament, holding placards that read “Humans, Not Prisoners” and wearing symbolic handcuffs.
Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader Malvinder Singh also slammed the US for its harsh treatment of migrants. The issue of shackling deportees was recently raised by Colombia, which refused to allow US deportation flights to land due to concerns over the mistreatment of Colombian citizens. Instead, the two countries reached an agreement for deportations to be conducted using Colombian military planes.
Highlighting this, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned why India had not taken similar steps. “Couldn’t we have sent our own aircraft to bring them back? Is this how humans should be treated? Shackled and handcuffed like criminals? The Prime Minister should answer.”
