The recent deportation of 205 undocumented Indian migrants from the United States has sparked an unnecessary uproar among certain political factions in India. The Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration has led to the identification of over 18,000 undocumented Indian nationals among the 1.5 million individuals marked for removal. As part of this initiative, a military aircraft carrying deported Indian migrants landed in Amritsar, Punjab, on February 5.
However, instead of addressing the issue rationally, India’s opposition parties and the Islamo-Leftist ecosystem rushed to propagate false narratives. Their primary focus was on allegations of mistreatment, claiming that deported migrants were handcuffed, shackled, and denied access to washrooms. Congress leader Kapil Sibal expressed his outrage, saying, “Modiji, Trump sends back 205 allegedly illegal Indian immigrants. Apparently handcuffed before boarding a flight to India. And they call themselves democrats! Speak up, Modiji.” Similarly, journalist Rajdeep Sardesai wrote, “No issues if Indian citizens who entered America illegally are deported. BUT plenty of issues if some of them are sent back home with handcuffs, legs chained, and struggled to use the washroom as has been alleged. Would that ever happen to an American citizen who entered India illegally?”
Netizens and rational voices swiftly called out this absurdity. Popular YouTuber and columnist Kushal Mehra bluntly pointed out, “I am not going to offer any defense for returning illegal immigrants. They broke the law. Now, if they lose money and are coming back as criminals, I do not feel bad. They knew the risks they were taking.” Similarly, journalist Tushar Gupta highlighted the misplaced outrage, arguing, “Decency? I wouldn’t show decency for someone jumping the wall of my house, forget country. Trump did nothing wrong. These people are paying anywhere between 15x to 50x the per capita income of India to get out. Live by the sword, get screwed by the sword. Real-world realities.”
The fundamental truth remains: illegal immigration is a crime. Every sovereign nation has the right to enforce its laws and deport illegal immigrants as they violate them. The attempt to portray the deportation as a diplomatic failure is a dishonest political stunt. The opposition’s crocodile tears over the deportation conveniently ignore that such practices are common worldwide and are not exclusive to the U.S.
Adding fuel to the fire, the opposition and its affiliated media networks circulated misleading images to create hysteria. One widely shared image claimed to depict Indian migrants in distress but was, in fact, from El Paso, Texas, showing Guatemalan deportees.
Amidst this cacophony, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stepped in to dismantle these fabrications. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, he clarified that the deportation was a standard, organized procedure carried out under long-standing ICE protocols. He emphasized that restraint measures were applied in line with U.S. standard operating procedures and that women and children were exempt from them. Furthermore, he reassured that New Delhi is actively engaging with Washington to ensure Indian deportees are not mistreated.
S Jaishankar’s response was a much-needed reality check. He highlighted that every country has an obligation to accept back its nationals who have been found residing illegally abroad, provided their nationality is verified. This is not a policy targeting India but a globally accepted principle of international relations.
The deportation of undocumented Indian migrants is neither a diplomatic slight nor an issue of mistreatment. It is a legal process that every country, including India, has the right to enforce. The attempt to politicize this matter reflects the opposition’s desperation to manufacture controversy where none exists.
