The United States has sent back another batch of 35 Indians for illegally entering the country, officials confirmed on Sunday. The deportees, mostly from Haryana’s Kaithal, Karnal, and Kurukshetra districts, arrived at Delhi airport late Sunday night.

Out of the 35 deportees, 16 were from Karnal, 14 from Kaithal, and 5 from Kurukshetra. After completing formalities, they were taken to their respective hometowns and reunited with their families.

Karnal Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sandeep Kumar said the group had used the ‘donkey route’, an illegal and dangerous path used by human traffickers to smuggle people into the US. “These individuals, from various villages and towns, had entered the US illegally via the 'donkey route' but were deported today. Karnal police informed the media that about 16 people who had gone to America through the 'donkey route' were deported. Karnal police brought them back and handed them over to their families. They stated that no complaint has been received regarding any agent,” said DSP Kumar, as quoted by news agency ANI.

The deportees, mostly aged between 25 and 40, said they were heartbroken after being sent back. Many shared that their families had borrowed lakhs of rupees in hopes of securing them a better future abroad.

Naresh Kumar, one of the deportees, told news agency PTI that he spent ₹57 lakh to reach the US through the illegal route.“I paid Rs 42 lakh by selling one acre of land. Thereafter, I paid Rs 6 lakh that I borrowed at interest. My brother sold some land to raise Rs 6.5 lakh. Then my relative paid Rs 2.85 lakh in June. A total of Rs 57 lakh was paid.”
He said, adding that he would never advise anyone to try entering the US this way.

Earlier this year, US authorities deported several people from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat for entering the country illegally.

Since Donald Trump took office as US President in January, his administration has toughened its stance on illegal immigration, leading to a surge in deportations of individuals from South Asia.