‘Engaging with US govt to ensure deportees are not mistreated in any manner’: Jaishankar

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that it is the obligation of all nations to take back their nationals if they are found to be residing there illegally and said that the Indian government is engaging the US government to ensure that the deportees are not mistreated in any manner.

In his statement on the US deportation of Indian nationals in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Jaishankar said that deportations by the US are organised and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE is effective from 2013. He said that there has been no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5.

#WATCH | Speaking in Rajya Sabha on Indian citizens deported from the US, EAM Dr S Jaishankar says, “It is in our collective interest to encourage legal mobility and discourage illegal movement…It is the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found… pic.twitter.com/iH8NRou51M

— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2025

Jaishankar said, “Deportations by the US are organized and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities. The standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE has been effective since 2012. I repeat, that is effective from 2012 and provides for the use of restraints. However, we have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained. Further, the needs of deportees including during transit, related to food and other necessities, including possible medical emergencies are attended to. During toilet breaks, deportees are temporarily unrestrained if needed in that regard”.

“This is applicable to chartered civilian aircraft as well as military aircraft. There has been no change, I repeat, no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on 5 February 2025. We are engaging the US Government to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner during the flight. At the same time, the House will appreciate that our focus should be on crackdown, strong crackdown on the illegal migration industry while taking steps to ease visas for the legitimate traveller. On the basis of information provided by returning deportees about the agents and others involved, law enforcement agencies will take necessary preventive and exemplary actions”, he added.

A US Air Force plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US arrived in Punjab’s Amritsar on Wednesday. As many as 104 Indian nationals were onboard the plane that landed in Amritsar.

He called people-to-people exchanges “bedrock” of the deepening ties between India and US. He stressed that mobility and migration has a key role to enhancing its quality. He noted that illegally mobility and migration has many other associated activities also of illegal nature.

Jaishankar said, “Members are aware that people-to-people exchanges constitute the bedrock of our deepening ties with the United States. Indeed, more than any other relationship, mobility and migration has had a key role to play in enhancing its quality. The house would also share the view of the government that it is in our collective interest to encourage legal mobility and discourage illegal movement. Infact, illegal mobility and migration has many other associated activities also of an illegal nature.

“Moreover, crores of our citizens who have been invaguled into illegal movement, themselves become prey to other crimes, they are trapped into both moving and working under inhuman conditions. Members are aware that unfortunately there have even been fatalities in the course of such illegal migration. Those who have returned have also testified to their harrowing experiences”.

Stressing that nations need to take back their nationals if they are found to be living in abroad illegally, he said, “It is the obligation of all countries to take back their nationals if they are found to be living illegally abroad. This is naturally subject to an unambiguous verification of their nationality. This is not a policy applicable to any specific country nor indeed one only practised by India. It is a generally accepted principle in international relations”.

Explaining the process of deportation since 2009, EAM Jaishankar said, “Members would be aware that the process of deportation is not a new one, I repeat not a new one, and has been ongoing for several years. I would like to share with the House details of deportation from the United States since 2009. Their numbers, years wise, as available with our law enforcement authorities is as follows. 2009, number of deportees 734 in 2010, 799-2011, 597-2012, 530-2013, 515-2014, 591-2015, 708-2016, 1,303-2017, 1,024-2018, 1,180-2019, 2,042-2020, 1,889-2021, 805-2022, 862-2023, 617-2024, 1,368-2025, and 104”.

On Tuesday, a US Embassy spokesperson said that while specific details cannot be shared, the United States is vigorously enforcing its border and immigration laws. The spokesperson emphasised that the actions taken send a “clear message that illegal migration is not worth the risk”.

“I have received a number of inquiries on the report of a deportation flight to India. I can’t share any details on those inquiries, but I can share, on the record, 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. (ANI)