US deports Indian migrants on C-17 military aircraft, first since Donald Trump's return

Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have raised concerns around illegal immigration by Indians into the United States.

Updated on: Feb 4, 2025, 12:49:31 IST

By HT News Desk

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A US military plane has departed with illegal migrants to India, a US official told news agency Reuters on Monday. The C-17 aircraft departed with migrants aboard but would not arrive for at least 24 hours, he added.

Illegal Indian immigrants after they were deported from the US, at Terminal 3, IGI airport, in New Delhi. (Representative file image) (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The Trump administration has sought the US military's help to assist his immigration agenda by sending additional troops to the US-Mexico border, using military aircraft to deport migrants and opening military bases to house them.

Deportation flights have carried migrants deemed illegal, to Guatemala, Peru and Honduras. India is the farthest destination the flights will travel to since the return of the Trump administration, the report added.

Also read | 18,000 Indians living in US to be brought back to placate Trump

The deportation to India will be the first since the return of US President Donald Trump to the White House. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have raised concerns around illegal immigration by Indians into the US during their respective conversations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Trump-Modi conversation

President Trump also noted that he discussed immigration with PM Modi and said India will do ‘what is right’ when it comes to taking back “illegal immigrants”.

The White House said the two leaders had a ‘productive call' and discussed how to ‘expand and deepen’ cooperation between the two countries.

Rubio raised the issue of what the State Department termed as “irregular immigration” with Jaishankar. India's external affairs minister had said that New Delhi “firmly opposed” illegal immigration to the US.

“Many other illegal activities get joined to it. It is not desirable, and it is not reputationally good. If there are any of our citizens who are not here legally and we are sure they are our citizens, we have been open to their legitimate return to India,” Jaishankar had said.

Also read | India hopes to deter illegal immigration to US after mass deportations

According to an HT report, US deported more than 1,100 illegal immigrants from India between October 2023 and September 2024.

Royce Murray, assistant secretary for border and immigration policy at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said in November that there had been a “steady increase” in deportations of illegal Indian immigrants from the US in recent years.

The Ministry of External Affairs had termed the deportations as an outcome of “regular consular dialogue and arrangement” with the US. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said that it continues to hold “regular consular dialogue” and make necessary “arrangements” on immigration and mobility of people between the two countries.

(With Reuters inputs)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk Hunger Strike LIVE and more across India.