Indian Deportees Recall Ordeal After US Crackdown on Illegal Immigration
Deportees who arrived in Amritsar on a US aircraft Wednesday shared harrowing accounts of their journey, revealing they were handcuffed and shackled throughout the flight, with restraints removed only upon landing.
Jaspal Singh, a 36-year-old from Punjab’s Gurdaspur district, said he was detained by the US Border Patrol on January 24. “We were handcuffed and had our legs chained the entire journey. They were only removed at Amritsar airport,” he claimed.
The US deported 104 illegal immigrants, marking the first batch of Indians sent back under the Trump administration’s intensified immigration crackdown. Among them, 33 were from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, three each from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh. The group also included 19 women and 13 minors, including children as young as four.
Deportees from Punjab were escorted back to their hometowns in police vehicles. Many recounted the dangers they faced while attempting to enter the US illegally.
‘Witnessed Death in Panama Jungle’
Harwinder Singh, from Hoshiarpur’s Tahli village, described his months-long journey through multiple countries, including Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, and Mexico. He recalled how his boat nearly capsized, and he saw people die in the Panama jungle and drown at sea. Singh had spent ₹42 lakh on his passage, trusting a travel agent who had promised a European route.
Clothes Stolen on ‘Donkey Route’
Another deportee from Punjab detailed the grueling ‘donkey route’—a perilous journey used by migrants to reach the US. He described a 15-hour boat ride, an exhausting 40-45 km trek, and the theft of clothes worth ₹30,000-35,000 along the way.
“We crossed 17-18 hills. If someone slipped, there was no chance of survival. We saw dead bodies, and if anyone got injured, they were left behind,” he said.
Their stories highlight the extreme risks migrants take in search of a better future—and the brutal reality of deportation.
