A US official told Reuters on Monday that a US military C-17 aircraft carrying illegal migrants to India has departed. However, the official added that the plane would take at least 24 hours to reach its destination.
The Trump administration has enlisted the US military's support for its immigration agenda by deploying additional troops to the US-Mexico border, utilizing military aircraft for migrant deportations, and opening military bases for housing them.
Deportation flights have transported migrants classified as illegal to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras. According to the report, India marks the farthest destination for these flights since the return of the Trump administration.
India will witness its first deportation flight since US President Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have voiced concerns about illegal immigration from India in their talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
President Trump said he spoke with PM Modi about immigration and expressed confidence that India would take back illegal immigrants.The White House called their conversation "productive," emphasizing efforts to strengthen and expand cooperation between the two nations.
According to the US State Department, Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised the issue of “irregular immigration” with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Jaishankar reiterated India’s strong opposition to illegal immigration, stating, “Many other illegal activities get linked to it. It is not desirable, and it is not reputationally good.” He added that if individuals are confirmed as Indian citizens and are in the US illegally, India has been open to their legitimate return.
As per the Hindustan Times report, from October 2023 to September 2024, the US sent back over 1,100 Indian immigrants who were in the country illegally.Royce Murray from the Department of Homeland Security mentioned in November that the number of illegal Indian immigrants being deported from the US has been going up steadily in recent years.
India's Ministry of External Affairs explained that these deportations happen because of regular talks and agreements with the US. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said that India frequently discusses immigration issues with the US and makes the necessary arrangements for people moving between the two countries.
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