VOIWORLD
A U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft carrying dozens of Indian nationals — many of them from Haryana’s Kaithal, Karnal, and Kurukshetra districts — landed in New Delhi late Saturday night. The deportees, most of them in their 20s and 30s, were sent back to India after being caught attempting to enter or stay illegally in the United States through what is infamously known as the “donkey route” — a dangerous and illegal migration path that snakes through multiple countries in South and Central America before reaching the U.S.-Mexico border.
According to officials cited by PTI, 35 Indian men were deported, while The Indian Express reported a higher number of about 50 individuals, including others from Goa, Gujarat, and Hyderabad. Upon arrival, the deportees were handed over to local police for verification and were later reunited with their families.
Shackled and Handcuffed on Return
Witnesses and family members described a grim picture of the deportation process. Deportees said they were handcuffed and shackled by their legs during the return flight.
Naresh Kumar, a deportee from Kaithal district, spent over 14 months in a U.S. detention center before being repatriated. Recounting his ordeal, he said:
“Most of us were handcuffed on the plane. I sold one acre of land and paid nearly ₹57 lakh to agents who promised to get me into America. They cheated me.”
Kumar said he left Delhi on January 9, 2024, and reached the U.S. after a 66-day journey through Brazil and several Latin American countries. “It took me two months to reach the U.S. through the donkey route. I would never advise anyone to take this path,” he said.
Another deportee, Husan (21), from Popra village in Karnal district, who had completed his Class 12 education before leaving for the U.S. in September 2024, faced a similar fate. His uncle, Surender Singh, told The Indian Express:
“They were handcuffed with their legs also in shackles. He was arrested as soon as he entered the U.S. It was a huge shock for us.”
Cheated by Agents, Dreams Turned into Detention
Several deportees told officials and reporters that they were duped by human traffickers and travel agents, who charged between ₹25 lakh and ₹60 lakh per person for the perilous journey.
The so-called “donkey route” involves traveling through countries such as Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico — often on foot or in unsafe conditions — before crossing into the U.S. illegally.
Most migrants undertake this journey in search of better economic opportunities, but many end up in U.S. immigration detention centers for months or even years before being deported.
A deportee from Karnal, Ankur Singh (26), who had paid ₹29 lakh to reach the U.S. in October 2022, said his journey through “many South American countries” lasted nearly four months.
“It went well until February this year, when I was arrested in Georgia while working at a liquor shop,” Ankur said. “Before going to the U.S., I was doing my B.Sc. at DAV College in Karnal.”
Despite their losses and emotional trauma, most deportees said they had not filed police complaints against the agents who facilitated their travel. A police officer from Kaithal district confirmed that no formal cases have yet been registered, although one deportee reportedly faces an unrelated case under the Excise Act.
Rising Deportations of Indian Nationals
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), deportations of Indian nationals from the U.S. have surged in recent years, particularly since Donald Trump’s second term as U.S. President.
As of July 2025, 1,563 Indian nationals have been deported from the U.S. since Trump resumed office. Most of them were sent back on commercial flights, though some — like this recent batch — were repatriated aboard military aircraft.
During Trump’s first term (2017–2021), a total of 6,135 Indian nationals were deported. Deportations peaked in 2019 with 2,042 Indians sent back, compared to 1,024 in 2017, 1,180 in 2018, and 1,889 in 2020.
A Costly and Dangerous Gamble
Experts warn that the “donkey route” continues to lure desperate migrants who sell land, mortgage property, or borrow heavily to chase the American dream. The journey, which can take months, often exposes them to extreme weather, robbery, sexual assault, and death in treacherous jungles like the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama.
Deportees like Naresh Kumar and Ankur Singh now serve as cautionary tales for those tempted by false promises.
“We lost everything — our money, our freedom, and our hope,” Kumar said. “It’s not worth it.”
The Way Forward
Authorities in Haryana and Punjab have urged people not to fall prey to illegal migration agents and have called for stricter regulation of travel and visa consultancy firms. The MEA has also reiterated that Indian nationals should avoid unauthorized migration routes and rely only on verified channels for overseas employment or travel.
As the deportees return home — some in debt, others traumatized — their stories serve as a harsh reminder of the human cost behind illegal migration, where the pursuit of a better life often ends in detention, despair, and deportation.
