US Deports 205 Indian Nationals in First Major Immigration Move Under Trump’s Return

A US military plane carrying Indian migrants has left for India, marking the first deportation of its kind since President Donald Trump's return to office, a US official told Reuters on Monday.

By rutunjay 04 Feb 2025 | Updated On 04 Feb 2025 16:05 IST in News

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A US military plane carrying Indian migrants has left for India, marking the first deportation of its kind since President Donald Trump's return to office, a US official told Reuters on Monday. The official confirmed that a C-17 aircraft had departed with the migrants onboard, and it is expected to reach India within 24 hours, according to Reuters.

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During Trump's administration, the US military has played a larger role in immigration enforcement, sending more troops to the US-Mexico border, using military bases to house migrants, and utilizing military aircraft for deportations.Reuters reports that previous deportation flights have taken migrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras. However, this is the first instance of India being included in the military deportation program since Trump returned to office.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have expressed concerns about illegal immigration from India during talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Trump, discussing his conversations with Modi, emphasized that he expects India to "do the right thing" by accepting the return of undocumented Indian migrants.The White House described the conversation between the two leaders as "productive," focusing on ways to "enhance and deepen" US-India collaboration.Meanwhile, Rubio raised concerns about "irregular immigration" with Jaishankar, who reiterated India’s stance against illegal migration. Jaishankar remarked, "Illegal immigration is often linked to other unlawful activities. It harms our reputation and is neither desirable nor beneficial. If any Indian citizens are found to be living illegally in the US and their citizenship is verified, we are open to ensuring their legal return to India."

Military deportation flights are much costlier than those run by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to Reuters, a recent military deportation flight to Guatemala last week cost approximately $4,675 per migrant.

#Narendra Modi #Donald Trump #United states

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