Handcuffed and Shackled: Indian Immigrant Shares Harrowing US Deportation

A group of 104 Indians, who had tried to enter the United States illegally, arrived in Amritsar on Wednesday after being deported. Their journey was full of hardship, and many faced extreme dangers while trying to reach the US. Some saw people die on the way, while others struggled with hunger, exhaustion, and fear.

Harwinder Singh, a resident of Tahli village in Hoshiarpur, left for the US in August last year. His journey took him through many countries, including Qatar, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, and finally Mexico. He recalled crossing hills, dangerous waters, and dense jungles before reaching the US border. “I saw one person die in the Panama jungle and another drown in the sea. It was a nightmare,” he said. According to him, the agent who arranged his travel had initially promised a safer route through Europe but later sent him through Mexico instead. Harwinder spent ₹42 lakh on this journey, hoping for a better future.

Jaspal Singh, 36, from Gurdaspur, Punjab, was caught by the US Border Patrol on January 24. He described the deportation process as humiliating. “We were handcuffed and had our legs chained for the entire journey back to India. They only removed the chains after we landed at Amritsar airport,” he said. A US military aircraft brought them back to India. Out of the 104 deportees, 33 were from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, three from Maharashtra, three from Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh. The group included 19 women and 13 children, including a four-year-old boy and two girls aged five and seven.

Many of these deportees took what is known as the ‘donkey route’—an illegal and dangerous way to enter the US. One deportee from Punjab said that along the journey, he and his companions were robbed of their belongings, including clothes worth ₹30,000-35,000. He described walking 40-45 km through mountains and spending 15 hours on a boat. “We crossed 17-18 hills. If someone slipped, there was no chance of survival. If someone got injured, they were left behind to die. We saw dead bodies along the way,” he shared.

After landing in Amritsar, the deportees from Punjab were taken to their villages in police vehicles. Many of them had left their homes with big dreams but returned empty-handed, carrying painful memories of their journey. These stories highlight the dangers of illegal immigration and the risks people take in search of a better life. For many, the journey ended in sorrow, and now they must rebuild their lives back home in India.

Feb. 6, 2025 {{ Blogdetails.schedule_date|time }} 279

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