Mon Feb 17 01:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Third US Deportation Flight Lands in Amritsar, Carrying 112 Indians

**Amritsar, India –** A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft carrying 112 Indian nationals deported from the United States for illegal residency landed at Amritsar International Airport on Sunday night. This marks the third such deportation flight in ten days, fueling ongoing tensions between the two countries.

The deportees, hailing primarily from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat, arrived around 10:03 pm. While families were present at the airport to greet them, allegations of shackling and ill-treatment during the flight, similar to those made by previous deportees, are again surfacing.

The Indian government has confirmed that the deportees will undergo immigration and background checks before being allowed to return to their homes. Transportation arrangements have been made to facilitate their travel.

This latest deportation follows two previous flights on February 5th (104 individuals) and Saturday (116 individuals), triggering a political storm in India’s Parliament. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has stated that India is engaging with the US to address concerns about mistreatment, while acknowledging that US deportations of illegal immigrants are not a new phenomenon.

Prime Minister Modi, recently visiting the US, affirmed India’s commitment to taking back its citizens residing illegally in the US, but emphasized the need to combat human trafficking. The US Embassy in India defended its actions, citing national security and public safety concerns. India is the third largest source of undocumented immigrants in the US. Many deportees, particularly from Punjab, had sought better opportunities in the US, only to be apprehended and deported.

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