Sun Feb 16 16:45:03 UTC 2025: ## Second Plane Carrying Deported Indians Lands in Amritsar

**Amritsar, India** – A second US Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft carrying 116 Indian deportees landed at Amritsar’s international airport late Saturday night. This follows a similar deportation flight on February 5th, which brought 104 Indians back to India. A third flight with 157 individuals is expected to arrive on Sunday.

The deportees, primarily from Punjab (65) and Haryana (33), were apprehended in the US for immigration violations. Their arrival has reignited political tensions, with the treatment of the deportees – shackled throughout the flight – drawing criticism from Indian officials and sparking outrage in Parliament.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that India is engaging with the US to address concerns about mistreatment, while emphasizing that the deportation of illegal immigrants is an ongoing process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recently returned from a US visit, reiterated India’s commitment to repatriating its citizens residing illegally in the US, but also stressed the need to combat human trafficking.

The US Embassy in India defended its actions, stating that enforcing immigration laws is crucial for national security and public safety. India is the third largest source of undocumented immigrants in the US, after Mexico and El Salvador.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited the airport and arranged transport for Punjab residents to their hometowns. Deportees from other states will be flown to Delhi on Sunday for onward travel. Mann criticized the central government for using Amritsar as a deportation center, calling for a halt to the practice. Many of the deportees expressed their shattered dreams of a better life in the US after being apprehended at the border.

Read More