The first deportation flight carrying Indian nationals caught for entering the US illegally landed at Amritsar Airport on Wednesday. The C-17 military aircraft, which took off from Texas on Tuesday carrying a total of 104 undocumented immigrants, landed at Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport in Amritsar on Wednesday afternoon.

CREDIT: REUTERS

According to reports, those deported include 33 each from Gujarat and Haryana, and 30 from Punjab. Two people each were from Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, while three were from Maharashtra.

The deportees include 25 women and 12 minors, with the youngest passenger being just four years old. Forty-eight people are below the age of 25.

Those who were sent back on this first deportation flight to India included some who entered the US illegally, while others overstayed their visas.

CREDIT: REUTERS

The deportees will be allowed to leave the airport after verification of their documents, as there are no directions to detain them.

There are around 725,000 illegal immigrants from India living in the US, making it the third-largest population of unauthorised immigrants after Mexico and El Salvador.

Days after assuming office, US President Donald Trump launched the 'largest deportation operation in the country's history.' Trump had promised to send every illegal immigrant back to their country of origin.

CREDIT: AP

Also read: 'Hundreds of illegal immigrants deported', says White House as ‘largest deportation programme in US history’ gets underway

External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S. Jaishankar had earlier said that New Delhi is open to the “legitimate return” of Indian nationals living illegally abroad, including in the US.

India has expressed readiness to accept these migrants post-verification, EAM Jaishankar conveyed this to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month.

CREDIT: AP

The US Embassy in India, which on Tuesday did not confirm the deportation of Indian nationals, said that the United States is ‘vigorously’ enforcing its border, tightening immigration laws, and removing illegal migrants.

"These actions send a clear message: Illegal migration is not worth the risk," a US Embassy spokesperson said.

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