US deported over 1,000 Indians for staying illegally in 12 months

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday said the department has deported over 1,100 Indian nationals through charter and commercial flights during the 2023-24. The DHS said they were staying illegally in the country.

“In the fiscal year 2024 that ended on September 30 2024, the US repatriated 1,100 Indian nationals,” PTI quoted Royce Murray, Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy at the US DHS as saying.

WhenMurray was quizzed regarding the occupants of the October 22 charter flight that deported a batch of Indian nationals, she said that "no minor" was deported on that removal flight, adding these were all male and female adults.

Earlier Hindustan Times reported that a chartered flight returned around 100 Indian nationals to their home country on October 22, underscoring the coordination between Washington and New Delhi overimmigration issues.

On October 25 the US DHS, in a statement, said "On October 22, the US Department of Homeland Security, through the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), conducted a large-frame charter removal \Rflight to the Republic of India of Indian nationals who did not establish legal basis to remain in the United States.”

Murray further informed that the October 22 charter flight was "de-planed in Punjab". She, however, did not mention where exactly the flight had originated from or the place of origin of these deportees.

Murray described the October 22 deportation operation as "smooth" and “well-coordinated,” with support from the Indian government ensuring efficient repatriation.

The deportation came days after the US homeland authorities announced the repatriation of a batch of Indian nationals who were illegally staying in that country.

In the fiscal year 2024, the DHS removed or returned over 1,60,000 individuals and operated more than 495 international repatriation flights to more than 145 countries, including India.