NEW DELHI: Indian people are waiting with bated breath to see whether brothers and sisters are being sent back with hands cuffed and legs chained or not this time as a special flight from the United States carrying 119 deported Indian nationals is expected to arrive at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Saturday.
This is the second US flight carrying the deportees to India following a crackdown on illegal immigrants by the US government, Punjab police officials said on Friday.
According to sources, the majority of deportees are from Punjab, with 67 individuals returning to the state. Haryana follows with 33 deportees. Gujarat accounts for eight, Uttar Pradesh three, and Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan two each.
Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have one returnee each on the flight.
A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told media that the authorities are closely monitoring the situation, and proper security and procedural arrangements have been made at the airport. Immigration officials, police personnel and representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs will be present at the airport.
The police officer said another such flight from the US is expected to land in Amritsar on Sunday, carrying more Indian nationals.
Earlier, Modi had asserted the need to fight against the “ecosystem” of human trafficking that lures people from ordinary families with big dreams and promises, and brings them to other countries as illegal immigrants.
This is not a question about India only but is a global issue, Modi said on the issue of illegal immigration during a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump in the White House on Thursday.
In the press conference on Thursday, PM Modi urged dialogue to eradicate human trafficking, which he blamed for illegal immigration. He said India was “fully prepared” to take back any verified Indian who was in the US illegally.
On the illegal immigration issue, PM Narendra Modi said, "...Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly the citizens of India - if they live in the US illegally, India is ready to take them back.'
He said, "But it doesn't stop just there for us. These are people from ordinary families. They are shown big dreams and most of them are misled and brought here. So, we should attack this entire system of human trafficking."
He added, "Together, it should be the effort of the US and India to destroy such an ecosystem from its roots so that human trafficking ends...Our bigger fight is against that entire ecosystem, and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem."
Trump had prioritised handling illegal immigration while India advocated for US visas for skilled professionals. Indians account for the bulk of H-1B visas, which Trump supports.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said: “Yes, it (issue of illegal immigration) did figure during the discussions on Friday."
"During the discussions, the Prime Minister said that India has made its stand very clear that if there are illegal immigrants proven to be Indian citizens in any country abroad, we will take them back," Misri said.
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