New Delhi: Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Thursday addressed Rajya Sabha on the matter of deportation of Indian nationals from the US and said the authorities have been given instructions to sit with every one of the returnees (Indians deported from the US) and find out how they went to America, who was the agent, and how do we take precautions so that this does not continue.
He said that it is the obligation of all nations to take back their nationals if they are found to be residing there illegally and added that the Indian government is engaging the US government to ensure that the deportees are not mistreated in any manner.
In his statement on the US deportation of Indian nationals in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Jaishankar said that deportations by the US are organised and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE is effective from 2013. He said that there has been no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5.
Jaishankar said, "Deportations by the US are organized and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities. The standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE has been effective since 2012. I repeat, that is effective from 2012 and provides for the use of restraints. However, we have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained. Further, the needs of deportees including during transit, related to food and other necessities, including possible medical emergencies are attended to. During toilet breaks, deportees are temporarily unrestrained if needed in that regard."
"This is applicable to chartered civilian aircraft as well as military aircraft. There has been no change, I repeat, no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on 5 February 2025. We are engaging the US Government to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner during the flight. At the same time, the House will appreciate that our focus should be on crackdown, strong crackdown on the illegal migration industry while taking steps to ease visas for the legitimate traveller. On the basis of information provided by returning deportees about the agents and others involved, law enforcement agencies will take necessary preventive and exemplary actions," he added.
The US Air Force plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US arrived in Punjab's Amritsar on Wednesday. As many as 104 Indian nationals were onboard the plane that landed in Amritsar.
He called people-to-people exchanges "bedrock" of the deepening ties between India and US. He stressed that mobility and migration has a key role to enhancing its quality. He noted that illegally mobility and migration has many other associated activities also of illegal nature.