NEW DELHI: A United States military plane carrying around 200 illegal immigrants would land at the Amritsar airport on Wednesday, a top Punjab Police officer told news agency PTI adding the state government authorities will receive the deported Indians.
Punjab NRI affairs minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal expressed disappointment over the United States’ decision to deport these people, saying they have contributed to the US economy and should have been granted permanent residency, instead of being deported.
There are reports that a US C-17 military aircraft, carrying 205 illegal immigrants hailing from Punjab and neighbouring states, will land in Amritsar on Wednesday.
US law-enforcement agencies launched a crackdown against illegal immigrants after Donald Trump became the president.
Many people from Punjab had entered the US through the “donkey route” or other illegal means by spending lakhs of rupees and are now facing deportation.
Asked about the reports of the US plane carrying illegal immigrants landing in Amritsar, Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday that the issue was discussed at a meeting here.
“The chief minister (Bhagwant Mann) said from the Punjab government‘s side, we will receive our immigrants and set up counters (for them) there,” he said.
“We are in touch with the Centre. As and when information comes, we will share,” the DGP added.
Mann held a meeting here on Tuesday with Punjab Police officers, including commissioners and senior superintendents of police, to discuss various issues.
Dhaliwal dubbed the issue of Indians being deported from the US as “very serious”.
In an official statement issued in Amritsar, he expressed disappointment over the US government’s decision, saying many Indians had entered the country with work permits, which later expired, making them illegal.
He argued that these individuals, who contributed to the US economy, should have been granted permanent residency instead of being deported.
The NRI affairs minister said he plans to meet the external affairs minister next week to discuss the concerns and interests of Punjabis living in the US.
He also appealed to Punjabis not to travel abroad through illegal means, stressing the importance of acquiring skills and education to access opportunities worldwide.