Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Feb 4: In a significant development, a US military aircraft carrying Indian migrants has departed for India, marking the first such deportation since President Donald Trump’s return to office, according to a US official cited by Reuters. The C-17 military aircraft, carrying undocumented Indian migrants, is expected to arrive in India within 24 hours.
This deportation reflects the growing role of the US military in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. The military’s involvement has expanded to include deploying additional troops to the US-Mexico border, utilizing military facilities to house migrants, and now employing military planes for deportations. While previous military deportation flights were directed to countries like Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras, this marks the first time that India has been included in the military deportation programme since Trump resumed office.
The Pentagon has begun organizing additional flights to deport over 5,000 migrants currently detained in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California. President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have raised concerns about illegal immigration from India during discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar.
Trump emphasized his expectations for India to ‘do what is right’ in accepting the return of its undocumented migrants. The White House described the leaders' conversation as ‘productive’, focusing on enhancing US-India cooperation. In response, Jaishankar reiterated India’s stance against illegal migration, stating that it is often associated with unlawful activities and negatively impacts India’s reputation. He affirmed that India is open to accepting its citizens if their illegal status is verified.
Reports indicate that military deportation flights are significantly costlier than those operated by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with a recent military deportation flight to Guatemala costing approximately $4,675 per migrant.