A U.S. deportation flight carrying over 100 Indian migrants has ignited controversy after reports surfaced that passengers remained shackled for nearly 40 hours, including during bathroom breaks. The incident has fueled growing anger in India, with protests erupting against the harsh treatment of deportees.
Lawmakers in India staged demonstrations outside parliament on Thursday, some symbolically wearing shackles, while others ridiculed the widely publicized friendship between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Elsewhere in New Delhi, youth members of the main opposition party set fire to an effigy of Trump in protest.
This latest deportation follows a similar controversy last month when Colombian migrants were forcibly restrained while boarding a U.S. repatriation flight, leading to a diplomatic standoff between the U.S. and Colombia. President Gustavo Petro initially refused permission for the military plane to land, condemning the treatment of deportees.
The outrage in India comes just days before Modi’s anticipated visit to the White House, where he was expected to meet Trump, whom he had previously referred to as a “true friend.” In response to the incident, S. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, a minister in Punjab—the state where the deportees landed—called on Modi to leverage his relationship with Trump to address the issue. He questioned the significance of their friendship if it could not protect Indian citizens facing inhumane treatment abroad.
According to U.S. officials, this deportation flight was the longest-distance removal conducted since military aircraft began being used for such operations.
Akashdeep Singh, a 23-year-old deportee, recounted the distressing experience upon his return to Punjab. “Our hands were cuffed, and our ankles were chained before we even boarded. We begged the officials to remove them so we could eat or use the restroom, but they treated us without any humanity,” he said. “Even when we were allowed to use the bathroom, the shackles remained. Right before landing, they removed them for the women, but for us, it only happened after we arrived and local police took over.”
Former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks shared a video on social media showing shackled Indian migrants slowly making their way up a ramp onto the deportation flight.
Another deportee, 35-year-old Sukhpal Singh, described the conditions onboard as degrading. “We were treated like criminals. Our legs swelled because of the cuffs, but if we tried to stand up, they shouted at us to sit back down,” he said.
The incident highlights a larger issue: a surge in undocumented Indian migrants attempting to enter the U.S. in search of better opportunities. Many endure treacherous journeys through Latin America, often paying exorbitant sums to smugglers in hopes of securing work abroad. U.S. government data shows a significant increase in illegal entries by Indian nationals, rising from just over 8,000 in 2018-19 to nearly 97,000 in 2022-23.
For deportees like Sukhpal Singh, the dream of a better life ended in shackles. “I wanted to provide for my family, for my children,” he said. “We all hear stories of people making it in the U.S., but now I don’t know what’s next.”
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