US military Air craft deporting Indian illlegal immigrants lands in India
US military air craft carrying illegal Indian immigrants landed in India’s northern city of Amritsar on Wednesday, a Reuters witness said, deporting an unspecified number of people as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda.
Media reported that the flight was bringing 205 people back, while others put the number at 104, and that they were mainly from the Punjab and Gujarat.
Although illegal Indian immigrants have been deported home by previous US administrations, it is the first time Washington has used a military aircraft for the purpose.
It is also the farthest destination so far for such flights using a military aircraft.
Migration has been among the key issues discussed by India and the U.S. since Trump took charge last month, and is also expected to come up during Trump’s meeting with PM Narendra Modi, likely to take place in Washington next week.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also ’emphasised’ the Trump administration’s desire to work with India to address “concerns related to irregular migration” when he met Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar last month.
New Delhi has since said it will take back such illegal immigrants after verifying their details.
The US is India’s largest trading partner and the two countries are forging deeper strategic ties as they look to counter China.
India is also keen to work with the US to make it easier for its citizens to get skilled workers visas.
The Pentagon has said it plans to deport more than 5,000 migrants held by US authorities, and Reuters reported last week that a flight to Guatemala used for the purpose likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant
