(Commonwealth_India) India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, addressed the concerns of Parliament regarding the treatment of Indian citizens deported from the United States. His comments came a day after a US military flight brought back 104 Indian nationals, who were reportedly accused of entering the US illegally. One of the deportees, Jaspal Singh, shared his experience with BBC Punjabi, claiming that he was handcuffed throughout the 40-hour journey, a statement that led to public outcry.
In his response, Jaishankar emphasized that the Indian government was collaborating with the United States to ensure that Indian citizens were not mistreated during deportation. He noted that according to information provided by the US authorities, particularly the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), women and children were not restrained during the flight. The minister also clarified that deportation flights from the US to India had been ongoing for several years, and the use of restraints on deportees was a part of US protocol in some cases.
Jaishankar mentioned that the US had assured India that deportees’ basic needs, including food and medical care, were taken into consideration during transit. He also mentioned that bathroom breaks allowed deportees to be unrestrained. The minister stated that the deportation process had not changed in comparison to past procedures, further pointing out that ICE had confirmed that the treatment of deportees was in line with existing policies.
Despite these assurances, deportee Jaspal Singh’s account presented a distinct picture. Singh revealed that he had been shackled for the entire duration of the flight and subjected to harsh conditions. According to Singh, the treatment was akin to torture, with his hands and feet bound as soon as he boarded the plane. He recounted the harrowing journey, during which the plane made multiple stops, and he only received his freedom when the plane touched down in Amritsar, India. These comments drew attention to the discomfort and perceived mistreatment faced by deportees on these flights, particularly regarding the use of restraints.
The US government has not provided detailed information about the specific treatment of deportees during their flights, but they maintain that strict enforcement of immigration laws is critical to the country’s national security and public safety. As part of this enforcement, the US has identified around 18,000 Indian nationals believed to have entered the country illegally. Deportation is a priority under the administration of former President Donald Trump, who has made the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants a central policy.
In light of these developments, Jaishankar also pointed out the significant challenges faced by Indian citizens who are often deceived by fraudulent travel agencies. These agencies take large sums of money from individuals desperate to migrate for work and expose them to perilous, unsafe travel routes to evade immigration authorities. Many of these migrants face harrowing conditions, including dangerous journeys through jungles, where some tragically lose their lives.
Jaspal Singh himself had taken out a loan of 4 million rupees (approximately $46,000) to finance his trip to the US. He recounted how, during the journey, he witnessed the bodies of other migrants who had perished along the way, highlighting the extreme risks involved in such migrations.
The issue of deportations has sparked criticism from opposition political leaders in India. Congress MP Manickam Tagore expressed his shock and condemnation of the way the deportees were treated. He described the handcuffing of Indian citizens as “shocking and shameful,” calling it inhumane and unacceptable. Fellow Congress MP Shashi Tharoor echoed these sentiments, acknowledging the US’s right to deport individuals who had entered the country illegally, but he strongly criticized the treatment of deportees. Tharoor labeled the use of handcuffs and the abrupt deportation process as an insult to India and its citizens, undermining their dignity.
This incident is not the first time that the United States has come under scrutiny for its deportation practices. The Brazilian government denounced the mistreatment of its nationals during deportation last month, following the return of 88 Brazilians in handcuffs to their home country. The Brazilian authorities expressed their intention to seek an explanation from the US over what they deemed “degrading treatment” of their citizens. Similarly, the Colombian government took a strong stance by sending its planes to collect deportees after President Gustavo Petro banned US military aircraft from landing in Colombia due to concerns over the treatment of migrants on board. The Colombian government argued that the deportees were being treated as criminals and that their dignity should be respected.
Human rights groups have consistently advocated for the humane treatment of deportees, urging governments to ensure that individuals being sent back to their countries are not subjected to degrading or inhumane conditions. The criticism from various international actors highlights the growing concern about how deportations are carried out and the need for greater respect for the dignity of individuals, regardless of their immigration status.
