US lists 295 more detained for deportation

New Delhi:The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities provided details of an additional 295 people detained with final removal orders. The MEA, in coordination with other agencies, is currently verifying these cases.

Earlier, a total of 388 Indians were deported from the United States since January 2025, the government informed Parliament on Friday. Of these, 333 people were repatriated directly on three separate military charter flights in February, while 55 nationals were deported via commercial flights through Panama, according to minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written Lok Sabha response.

Singh explained that the three military flights landed on February 5, 15, and 16, 2025.

When asked about concerns raised over the treatment of deportees, including the use of restraints on the flight that landed at Amritsar on February 5 — a flight that carried a batch of 104 deportees —Singh stated that the ministry has registered strong concerns with US authorities. The minister noted that the US Standard Operating Procedure, in effect since November 2012, allows for the use of shackles, even on women, which has sparked nationwide outrage in India.

The repatriation process, according to Singh, is conducted only for Indian nationals apprehended for violating US immigration laws. He added that the broader issue of illegal migration is complex, as many nationals are lured into illegal channels and subsequently fall prey to other crimes. From 2009 to 2024, a total of 15,564 Indians were deported by the United States.

Discussing operational matters, Singh clarified that the choice of Amritsar as a landing site was based on operational convenience, route efficiency, and proximity to the final destinations of the deportees. State-wise data for the deportations was also provided: the February 5 flight carried 104 deportees (including 30 from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, and three from Maharashtra); the February 15 flight carried 117 deportees (65 from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and eight from Gujarat); and the February 16 flight carried 112 deportees (31 from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, and 33 from Gujarat). Additionally, 55 deportees arrived in New Delhi from the US via Panama between February 20 and March 2.

The issue of illegal immigration and the humane treatment of deportees was also discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US on February 12-13. Both sides reiterated the need for safe, orderly, and legal migration while cracking down on illegal immigration networks and human trafficking.