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US crackdown on illegal immigrants: Second batch of 119 Indians to land in Amritsar on Feb 15

A third flight carrying another set of illegal Indian immigrants will be landing on February 16 as part of US President Donald Trump’s massive crackdown on illegal immigration

Representation. A US deportation flight carrying undocumented migrants | Reuters

The second plane carrying 119 illegal immigrants from the United States is likely to land at Amritsar airport on Saturday. 

According to officials, the plane is expected to land at the airport around 10 pm on Saturday. 

Among the 119 Indian immigrants including those from Punjab (67), Haryana (33), Gujarat (8), Goa and Rajasthan. 

Also read | US military flight bringing 104 Indian illegal immigrants set to land in Amritsar

The third flight carrying another set of Indians is also set to land on February 16. 

Last week, a US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at the Amritsar airport as part of a major crackdown by the Trump government on illegal immigrants. 

Also read | US refuses to offer ‘details’ on whether Indians were flown back home in handcuffs

Among the 104 illegal Indian immigrants, 33 were from Haryana and Gujarat, while 30 were from Punjab. 

The deportees, reportedly, had entered the US through Mexico and other routes. They also allegedly tore up their passports after entering the US illegally. 

Also, several people who landed in Amritsar alleged harassment by cuffing their hands and legs while being transported. A nationwide outrage erupted with many demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with the US President Trump, while he is in Washington. 

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the Indian migrants were treated "worse than garbage". 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed concern about the allegations and said that they were closely monitoring the situation. 

The landing of the US aircraft in Amritsar also created a political controversy. "The BJP-led Central government wants to defame Punjab. Why does it not land in Gujarat, Haryana or Delhi?" Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Thursday while replying to a question on the likely arrival of another US plane carrying illegal immigrants.