India engaging with US to ensure deportees treated well

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said it is the obligation of all nations to take back their nationals if they are found to be residing in another country illegally. He added that the Indian government is engaging the US government to ensure that the deportees are not mistreated in any manner.

He said that there has been no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5.

“Deportations by the US are organized and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities. The standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE has been effective since 2012. I repeat, that is effective from 2012 and provides for the use of restraints. However, we have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained.”

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He went on to say that the needs of deportees including during transit, related to food and other necessities, including possible medical emergencies are attended to. During toilet breaks, deportees are temporarily unrestrained if needed in that regard.

“This is applicable to chartered civilian aircraft as well as military aircraft. There has been no change, I repeat, no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on 5 February 2025,” the EAM said.

“We are engaging the US Government to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner during the flight. At the same time, the House will appreciate that our focus should be on crackdown, strong crackdown on the illegal migration industry while taking steps to ease visas for the legitimate traveller. On the basis of information provided by returning deportees about the agents and others involved, law enforcement agencies will take necessary preventive and exemplary actions,” he added.

The US Air Force plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US arrived in Punjab’s Amritsar on Wednesday, Feb. 4. As many as 104 Indian nationals were onboard the plane that landed in Amritsar.

Jaishankar said people-to-people exchanges are the “bedrock” of the deepening ties between India and US.

“Members are aware that people-to-people exchanges constitute the bedrock of our deepening ties with the United States. Indeed, more than any other relationship, mobility and migration has had a key role to play in enhancing its quality. The house would also share the view of the government that it is in our collective interest to encourage legal mobility and discourage illegal movement. In fact, illegal mobility and migration has many other associated activities also of an illegal nature. Moreover, crores of our citizens who have been inveigled into illegal movement, themselves become prey to other crimes, they are trapped into both moving and working under inhuman conditions,” EAM said.

He referred to some of the fatalities that have occurred with illegal migration.

“It is the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad. This is naturally subject to an unambiguous verification of their nationality. This is not a policy applicable to any specific country nor indeed one only practised by India. It is a generally accepted principle in international relations,” Jaishankar pointed out.

Explaining the process of deportation since 2009, EAM Jaishankar provided details of deportation from the United States since 2009. “Their numbers, years wise, as available with our law enforcement authorities is as follows. 2009, number of deportees 734, 2010, 799 2011, 597. 2012, 530, 2013, 515, 2014, 591, 2015, 708, 2016, 1303, 2017, 1024, 2018, 1180, 2019, 2042, 2020, 1889, 2021, 805, 2022, 862, 2023, 617, 2024, 1368, 2025, 104.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Feb. 3, a US Embassy spokesperson said that while specific details cannot be shared, the United States is vigorously enforcing its border and immigration laws. The spokesperson emphasized that the actions taken send a “clear message that illegal migration is not worth the risk.”