Thu Feb 06 08:05:47 UTC 2025: ## Hundreds of Indian Migrants Deported from US at Steep Cost
**Amritsar, India** – A military transport aircraft carrying 104 Indian nationals deported from the United States landed in Amritsar yesterday. The deportees, who had illegally entered the US, described harrowing journeys through dangerous routes, only to have their “American Dream” shattered by deportation. They were handcuffed and flown back on a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster, a move criticized for its exorbitant cost.
The use of a military aircraft, rather than a commercial charter, significantly increased the expense of the deportation. While the exact cost of the flight from Texas to Amritsar remains unclear, estimates based on similar recent flights to Guatemala suggest a cost exceeding $500,000. This is vastly higher than the cost of using commercial charter flights, previously favored by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Reports suggest a Guatemala flight last week cost approximately $4,675 per migrant, five times the cost of a first-class commercial flight.
The deportations are part of President Trump’s stricter immigration policies. The US government has previously deported migrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras using military aircraft. This latest action comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly planning a visit to the US next week. The US and India have identified approximately 18,000 Indian nationals facing potential deportation, and both governments have indicated willingness to cooperate on the repatriation process. While the Indian government has expressed openness to the return of its citizens residing illegally in the US, the high cost of the military-led deportations remains a point of contention. The escalating cost of deportation flights, rising from approximately $8,577 per flight hour in 2021 to over $17,000 in 2023 (for commercial charters), further highlights the financial implications of this policy.
First Piper 