Trump sends first batch of illegal immigrants to India

A US military transport aircraft carrying more than 100 deported Indian immigrants was set to land in Amritsar on Wednesday, the first such flight to India under the second term of US President Donald Trump who has promised a significant crackdown that could impact hundreds or thousands of people.

- Ravinder Vasudeva and Rezaul H Laskar

A spokesperson at the US embassy in New Delhi said Washington is tightening immigration laws and removing illegal migrants. The action comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington.

Officials in Punjab separately confirmed they had been told of a C-17 military transport flight on its way to Amritsar, carrying deportees primarily from Punjab and neighbouring states. Local officials are preparing special reception arrangements at the airport to assist the returnees, said Punjab NRI affairs minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who will be at the airport when the plane lands.

A passenger manifest accessed by HT lists out 104 passengers, with a majority of the surnames being those of people from Gujarat.

"Those who are from Gujrat would be sent to their state by air after verification of their records and credentials. As there are deportees from Haryana as well, they will be de-boarded in Amritsar along with Punjab natives," a senior official said, asking not to be named.

Officials did not provide a region-wise breakup of the citizens being deported.