Putting up illegally, Indians deported by US on special flight

The US hired a chartered flight on October 22 to send home a batch of Indians staying illegally in its territory, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.

The DHS did not specify the number of people who had been deported. Incidentally, illegal immigration has turned a major issue in the upcoming US presidential elections, the campaigning for which is underway.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sent back those Indians who failed to establish a legal basis to remain in the country, the DHS said. "This week's flight demonstrates the department's commitment to pursuing sustained cooperation with the Indian government and other international partners to reduce and deter illegal migration and jointly work to counter human smuggling," it said.

A large number of Indians each year enter the US illegally, either through Canada or Mexico. In its latest data, the US Customs and Border Protection said 29 lakh illegal entry attempts were recorded at the borders with Mexico and Canada and 90,415 of these were by Indians.

The DHS said after June 2024, it had deported over 1.6 lakh individuals and operated 495 international repatriation flights to more than 145 countries, including India.