GG News Bureau
AMRITSAR, 6th Feb. The American dream turned into a nightmare for 104 Indian migrants who were deported from the United States this week, landing in Amritsar on Wednesday. These individuals endured a perilous journey, only to be turned away due to the current administration’s stringent policies on illegal immigration. Their experiences paint a stark picture of the risks and hardships faced by those seeking a new life in the US through irregular channels.
The migrants’ accounts reveal a common thread of deception and exploitation by agents who promised a path to America. Harvinder Singh, from a village in Punjab, paid an agent Rs 42 lakh with the understanding that he would receive a work visa. Instead, he was rerouted through a series of flights to Brazil and then embarked on a grueling overland journey through South and Central America.
Singh described a “donkey route” involving treacherous walks through mountainous terrain, followed by a perilous sea voyage in a small boat. Tragically, the boat capsized, resulting in the death of one migrant, while another perished in the Panama jungle. Singh and his companions survived on meager rations of rice throughout this ordeal.
Sukhpal Singh, also from Punjab, recounted a similarly harrowing experience, including a 15-hour journey by sea and a 40-45 kilometer trek through treacherous hills. He witnessed others succumb to injuries along the way. Like Harvinder Singh, Sukhpal Singh’s journey ended in Mexico, where he was apprehended before crossing the US border. He described being detained in a dark cell for 14 days.
The deported migrants arrived in Amritsar on a US military aircraft. Among them were 19 women and 13 minors, some as young as four years old. One migrant, Jaspal Singh, alleged that the deportees were handcuffed and shackled throughout the flight, only being released upon arrival in Amritsar.
The families of these migrants have been left to grapple with the consequences of their failed attempts to reach the US. Many had taken out substantial loans to fund the journey, leaving them with crippling debt. They are now calling for strict action against the agents who misled them. In Punjab’s “NRI Belt,” where emigration is common, many families face similar financial burdens due to failed attempts to send loved ones abroad.
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