"I stayed there for 11 days before being caught"
A Punjabi man who was one of the 104 Indians deported from the USA exposed the brutal reality of his failed journey.
The unnamed man revealed he fell victim to an agent’s lies on the notorious “Dunki route”.
The man said he left for the UK in 2022 before travelling through Europe.
He contacted the agent, who lured him with false promises, through Facebook.
He revealed he spent Rs. 40 Lakhs (£36,000) and the journey was “not very smooth”, taking the forest route and facing several issues.
The man explained: “I reached America on 24 January.
“I stayed there for 11 days before being caught by a US Border Patrol officer while crossing the border.”
What followed was nothing short of a nightmare.
He claimed American authorities kept him in chains, with his hands cuffed and legs bound throughout the detention. He and others were given only biscuits and bread to survive the ordeal.
One of President Donald Trump’s priorities is a crackdown on illegal immigration.
More than 100 Indians who illegally entered the USA were brought back to their home country via military aircraft.
The aircraft landed in Amritsar before minibuses were organised to transport the deportees to their home states.
The manner of the deportations has divided opinion.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirmed that the use of restraints is part of the standard operating procedure (SOP) followed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during deportations.
However, Congress MP Manish Tewari criticised the treatment of the deportees.
He said: “The treatment was medieval.
“Absolutely anguished at the inhumane treatment given to Indians deported from the US.
“They are not criminals; they were simply in search of a better life.”
Punjab’s NRI Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal urged Narendra Modi to speak to Trump about the matter:
“We all know that PM Modi used to say that ‘Trump is my friend’. He even campaigned for Trump during the 2019 US elections.
“These are international issues and can be discussed and resolved at that level.”
“I urge PM Modi that the sword of deportation and jail is hanging on the heads of many Indians and he should hold their hands.
“He should sit with Trump and find a solution to this issue.”
Deportations of Indians from the US have surged in recent years. In 2019 alone, 2,042 Indians were deported – the highest on record.
Jaishankar added that from 2009 to 2013, nearly 3,210 Indians were sent back from the US.
Deportations have since spiked as US immigration policies toughened under successive administrations.
The deportees’ ordeal sheds light on the harsh reality faced by thousands of Indians who, driven by desperation, are willing to risk everything for a shot at a better future.
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