'Lost Rs 44 Lakh, Tortured': Families of 'Illegal' Indians Deported From US

In a first, a US military plane carrying 104 Indians landed in Amritsar's Sri Guru Ram Das Ji Airport on Wednesday.

Harvinder Singh’s story is heart-wrenching. A resident of Hoshiarpur, the 41-year-old left for the US 10 months ago with the hope of securing a better future for his two children – a son aged 12 and an 11-year-old daughter.

(Photo: Vibhushita Singh/The Quint)

As the doors of the international terminal at Amritsar's Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport opened, Pardeep, Jaspal, and Harvinder Singh stepped out, carrying not just the weight of their shattered dreams but also the burden of their families’ sacrifices.

They were among the 104 Indian immigrants deported from San Antonio, Texas on Monday, 3 February, and brought to India in a US C-17 Globemaster military aircraft on Wednesday, 5 February, amid President Donald Trump’s aggressive crackdown on illegal immigration.  

For the families of the returnees, however, this was not just about deportation – it was about lost hope, financial ruin, and emotional devastation.

'Rs 44 Lakh Lost, Dreams Destroyed'  

Harvinder Singh’s story is heart-wrenching. A resident of Hoshiarpur, the 41-year-old left for the US 10 months ago with the hope of securing a better future for his two children – a son aged 12 and an 11-year-old daughter.

His family put their faith in an agent who assured them that everything would be done legally. But in the end, Harvinder was forced into the horrific route of 'Dunki' — the dangerous illegal immigration path taken by many desperate Indians seeking a life abroad.  

Upon being caught, he was tortured before being deported back to India, his wife Kuljinder Kaur revealed to The Quint, her voice trembling.

"We spent Rs 44 lakh to send him to the US. We took a gold loan for that, and we still haven’t repaid it fully. We are drowning in debt," she said, describing the harrowing cost of their shattered American dream.

Harvinder Singh.

(Photo Courtesy: Piya Laal Thukral)

With no financial aid and their savings wiped out, they are now struggling to survive.

“It wasn’t right for the American government to do this, but now we request the Punjab and Central governments to help us in this crisis,” she added.

Kaur also demanded strict action against fraudulent immigration agents who exploit desperate families.

“These agents are ruining lives. The government must take strict action against them before more families suffer."  

Kuljinder Kaur, wife of Harvinder Singh. 

(Photo Courtesy: Piya Laal Thukral)

'Munda Saada, Paise Saade Dubbe, Duniya Swaad Layi Jaandi Aa'

On the other hand, many families of the deportees, their hearts filled with anguish, just want to be left alone.

"Munda saada, paise saade dubbe, duniya swaad layi jaandi aa (He is our child, we lost our money, and now the world is taking pleasure in our pain)," said the father of 21-year-old Pardeep Singh while speaking to The Quint, his voice reeking of anger and sorrow.

He further added that the pain of seeing his son return empty-handed from the US after spending a fortune to send him abroad was unbearable.

"We don’t want to talk about it. Please, let us stay in peace,” he pleaded, unwilling to recall the nightmare.  

Pardeep's family is not the only one.

Jaspal Singh's family in Hardowal, Gurdaspur, is also drowning in misery and despair. His wife and mother have been unwell ever since they received the news of him being deported from the US.

“We are in no state to give interviews or talk about anything,” a close relative of his stated, saying more through her desolate silence than her reluctant words.

For these deported immigrants and their families, the future remains uncertain. Their only wish now is to be left in peace and to find a way to rebuild their lives from the ruins of shattered dreams.  

According to the manifesto of the deported passengers, which has been accessed by The Quint, 33 are from Gujarat, 33 from Haryana, 30 from Punjab, three from Chandigarh, and two from Maharashtra.

On Wednesday, 5 February, widespread security arrangements were made for the arrival of the deported Indian passengers. According to sources who spoke to The Quint, Indians not belonging to Punjab and Haryana were sent back to their states of origin via commercial flights from the airport itself, whereas others were transported via a secret road from the airport to avoid media attention.

Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Punjab's Minister of NRI Affairs, also went to the Amritsar airport and spoke to some of the deported Indians.

"All the returnees are fine. They were given food and tea on their arrival. Their paperwork is underway," he had said while addressing the press on Wednesday.

He also urged the Central government to hold discussions with the Trump administration to find a solution to this problem of illegal immigration.

"This is a crucial issue between India and the US, and I would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have a discussion with US President Trump and find a solution. The PM should act as a shield against the sword of deportation and imprisonment hanging on the heads of Indians in the US," Dhaliwal said.

Indian Govt Working on Bill for Welfare of Indians Abroad

Meanwhile, the Indian government stated that it is "seriously considering" enacting a law to protect Indian immigrants abroad and to ensure "safe, orderly and regular migration for overseas employment".

This information emerged from a report presented in the Lok Sabha on Monday, 3 February, amid the ongoing Budget session by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, which is chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

In response to a specific question by the committee, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had stated that the proposed emigration bill – Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2024 – would replace the Emigration Act of 1983.

“It aims to establish an enabling framework which will promote safe, orderly and regular migration for overseas employment. The proposed draft is under consultation with line Ministries. After the internal consultations draft will be put up for public Consultation for 15/30 days thereafter it will be followed up by Inter Ministerial Consultations along with the Draft Cabinet Note on revised draft,” the MEA stated in its response to the committee's query.

Earlier, on 31 January, the MEA had confirmed its commitment to facilitate the return of the Indian nationals who were allegedly residing in the US illegally and were to be deported.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had also reiterated the government's stance against illegal immigration, further highlighting its connection to organised crime.

"India is firmly opposed to illegal migration, especially as it is linked to other forms of organised crime. As part of India-US migration and mobility cooperation, both sides are engaged in a process to deter illegal migration, while also creating more avenues for legal migration from India to the US," he had said.

He also stated that the Indian government would ensure proper verification, including nationality, of the individuals being deported to India.

(This is a developing story. It will be updated.)