Another 112 illegal Indian immigrants land in Amritsar: official

Amritsar, February 17: Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said 112 people were in the plane that landed in Amritsar on Sunday carrying the third batch of Indian nationals who allegedly illegally migrated to the US.

Speaking to reporters, Sawhney “112 people have come in this flight. Their immigration is going on right now. Whatever they needed, food, diapers, formula, we have provided everything. We have arranged for everything. Arrangements have been made for them to go home. So, immigration is being conducted and it will take quite some time.”

When asked about the number of women and children who have arrived in the flight, Sawhney said that data will be shared once the immigration process is complete.

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The aircraft carrying the third batch of Indian nationals arrived just a day after the second batch of Indian nationals who also allegedly illegally migrated to the US. On February 5, the first batch arrived from the US.

Earlier on Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured that the deportees would be treated properly and that all arrangements had been made. The Chief Minister said the deportees would stay in Amritsar for a few hours before being taken to their respective states.

“Our kids are the ones who are coming here anyway, so from here no one can go hungry, we will make arrangements. We have also made staying arrangements for them. They will stay here for a few hours and then go to their respective states as the flights have been booked by the Ministry of External Affairs already,” Mann said in a press conference in Amritsar on Saturday.

On February 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed India’s willingness to take back its nationals if they live illegally in the United States and laid emphasis on the need to finish the “ecosystem” of human trafficking. PM Modi also expressed confidence that Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem.

“Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly the citizens of India – if they live in the US illegally, India is ready to take them back,” PM Modi said, answering a query at the joint press conference with President Trump after their bilateral talks.

He said most of the people staying illegally are from ordinary families and are misguided by human traffickers.

“But it doesn’t stop just there for us. These are people from ordinary families. They are shown big dreams and most of them are such who are misled and brought here. So, we should attack this entire system of human trafficking. Together, it should be the effort of the US and India to destroy such an ecosystem from its roots so that human trafficking ends…Our bigger fight is against that entire ecosystem, and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem,” PM Modi said.