India engaging with US govt to ensure deportees are not mistreated: Jaishankar

A C-17 heavy transport aircraft of the US military carrying 104 illegal migrants from India landed in Amritsar on Wednesday

The US deported nearly 15,700 Indians since 2009, including 104 citizens sent back on a military flight this week, and India’s focus should be on a “strong crackdown” on the illegal migration industry and steps to ease visas for legitimate travellers, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday.

Jaishankar addressed concerns about the deportees being sent back in handcuffs and shackles. (PTI photo)

Making a statement in Rajya Sabha in the wake of the latest deportation flight following US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration, Jaishankar addressed concerns about the deportees being sent back in handcuffs and shackles by saying that the use of restraints has been part of the standard operating procedures of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities since 2012.

“We are, of course, engaging with the US government to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner during the flight,” he said.

A C-17 heavy transport aircraft of the US military carrying 104 illegal migrants from India landed in Amritsar on Wednesday. Among the deportees were women and children. People on the flight told the media that they were handcuffed and shackled throughout the journey lasting close to 40 hours.

Jaishankar said it is the obligation of all countries to take back nationals found illegally living abroad after an unambiguous verification of their nationality.

“This is not a policy applicable to any specific country nor indeed one only practiced by India. It is a general accepted principle in international relations,” he said.

The process of deportation is “not a new one” and has been ongoing for several years, he said.

Jaishankar provided details of deportation from the US since 2009, with the figures showing that a total of 15,668 Indian migrants were sent back over 16 years.

During this period, the annual figures hit a peak in 2019 and 2020, when 2,042 deportees and 1,889 deportees were sent back, respectively. The figure rose again to 1,368 in 2024 after ranging between 600 and 800 in the three previous years.

The deportations from the US are organised and executed by ICE authorities and its standard operating procedures during deportation by aircraft since 2012 “provides for the use of restraints”.

Jaishankar said the Indian side was informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained, and the needs of deportees related to food and other necessities, including possible medical emergencies, are attended to. During toilet breaks, deportees are temporarily unrestrained if needed, he said.

“This is applicable to chartered civilian aircraft as well as military aircraft. There has been no change, I repeat, no change from past procedure for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5, 2025,” Jaishankar said.

Responding to questions from several members of the Upper House, Jaishankar said the government was informed about the latest deportation flight, involved in establishing the identity of the nationals, and giving clearance for the US military flight.

On the issue of consular access to deported citizens, Jaishankar said consular access is provided only if nationals seek it. Government officials are meeting every deportee to ascertain how they had gone to the US in order to prevent the recurrence of illegal migration, he said.

The opposition, however, demanded to know what the government is doing to prevent illegal migration.

Congress MP Randeep Surjewala demanded to know if the government was aware that the deportees were handcuffed and that up to 750,000 Indians in the US had reportedly been identified as illegal immigrants who are to be deported.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) Tiruchi Siva sought to know what the government’s response was when it was informed by the US about the deportation, while Saket Gokhale of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) raised the issue of the Columbian government sending its own aircraft to bring back its nationals.

Sanjay Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged the Indian deportees were mistreated even on Indian soil as some from Haryana were sent back home in prison vans.

Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Manoj Jha said the “images are worrisome” and wanted to know how much advance notice was given by the US to the government regarding the deportation, and whether action is being taken against agents who facilitate illegal migration.