A total of 104 Indian nationals have been deported on a US military flight from Guam in a significant shift in America’s deportation policy under President Donald Trump. The move comes after the Centre cleared a list of 195 Indians who entered illegally into the US. Among these, the maximum are from Punjab (90), followed by Haryana (56) and Gujarat (38). The rest are from other states.
The flight, operated by the US Department of Defense (DoD), taking off from a military base in Guam and destined for Amritsar, marks a departure from the previous practice of using chartered flights for such deportations.
The issue of illegal immigration from Punjab has been repeatedly raised by the Indian government in recent years, given its scale and the organised networks facilitating migration.
However, none of the deportees on this flight were linked to such criminal activities, according to sources. Rather illegal immigrants who were taken to Guam before being put on the military flight had entered illegally dreaming the “American dream”.
Going forward, New Delhi is keen to emphasise on identifying and sending wanted criminals back as a priority as well.
The deportations of illegal Indian immigrants have continued under both the Trump and Biden administrations, but the use of a military aircraft signals a new approach.
The original plan was to deport 195 Indians, but the military aircraft’s limited seating capacity necessitated a reduction in the number of deportees. The remaining individuals will be sent back on subsequent flights , throwing open the possibility of completing the paperwork for more Indian illegal immigrants and facilitating the next batch of deportation in coming months, sources said.
Another key difference in Trump’s deportation strategy is the involvement of the Department of Defence instead of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which previously managed the process. DHS continues to oversee the detention and legal procedures of illegal immigrants, but logistical operations have now been handed over to the military, expediting removals.
Guam has been used as a staging point for these deportation flights, and sources indicate that this practice may continue in the future, making military aircraft the primary mode of transport for illegal immigrants being sent back to India.
The list of deportees had been finalised under the Biden administration, government officials explained, with individuals detained in various US immigration centres before being cleared for repatriation with the help of Indian authorities. But deportation flights under Biden were slower due to bureaucratic hurdles and reliance on leased charter planes. On the other hand, the Trump administration has invoked national security provisions to fast-track the process under DoD supervision.
Officials said the use of military aircraft could set a precedent for future removals, making the process swifter and more structured. For India, the return of these individuals raises questions about reintegration and the broader issue of illegal immigration from specific states like Punjab and Haryana. The Indian government is likely to monitor future deportations closely. For Indian authorities, the primary concern is not just the individuals seeking better opportunities in the US, but the organised criminal networks that exploit illegal immigration routes. “Many such networks operate in Punjab and Haryana, smuggling people into the US while evading Indian law enforcement. We hope they get attention too,” said an official .
Till then, the 104 people deported from the US will be the first reminder to India of the shifting dynamics of immigration relations between the two countries.