The Perilous Journey: 104 Indian Migrants Deported After Failed American Dream
Long-haul flights, perilous sea voyages, gruelling hikes through treacherous terrain, and dark cells at the US-Mexico border—all for a dream that ended in deportation. A total of 104 Indian migrants were sent back to India after facing the harsh realities of illegal immigration under the US President Donald Trump's strict policies.
Harvinder Singh, a resident of Punjab’s Tahli village, had paid an agent Rs 42 lakh for a promised US work visa. However, he was instead put on an intricate route through multiple countries. His journey took him from Delhi to Qatar, then Brazil, where he was informed of a non-existent flight to Peru. Taxis transported him further into Colombia and then to Panama. The so-called "donkey route" began with a two-day trek through mountainous terrain.
As Singh and others advanced, they were placed on small boats towards the Mexico border. A four-hour sea journey ended in tragedy when the boat capsized, claiming one life. Another traveller perished in the dense jungles of Panama. With minimal food, mostly rice, they endured extreme hardships.
Sukhpal Singh from Darapur village experienced a similar fate, facing a 15-hour sea voyage and walking 40-45 kilometres through treacherous hills. “Injured people were left to die, and we saw many dead bodies on the way,” he recalled. His journey was cut short when he was arrested in Mexico before crossing into the US. Held in a dark cell for 14 days, he saw thousands of Punjabi migrants, including families and children, in similar distress. He urged others not to risk illegal immigration.
On Wednesday, a US military aircraft carrying 104 deported Indian migrants landed in Amritsar. The group included 33 individuals from Haryana and Gujarat each, 30 from Punjab, three from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh each, and two from Chandigarh. Among them were 19 women and 13 minors, including a four-year-old boy and two girls aged five and seven.
Jaspal Singh, another deportee, revealed that they were handcuffed during the entire flight and released only upon arrival in India. He had paid an agent Rs 30 lakh for what was promised to be a legal passage. His ordeal included a six-month stay in Brazil before his capture by US Border Patrol.
Families of the deportees now face mounting debts, having taken massive loans to fund these failed attempts. Many demand strict action against fraudulent agents who deceived them with false promises of a brighter future.
