Indian Migrants Lose Everything: Sold Land for US Dream, Now Facing Deportation

A US navy plane landed at Amritsar airport on Saturday evening, carrying 116 Indian migrants who had been deported from the USA. Amongst them was Daljit Singh, who had left his village in Punjab final yr with hopes of a greater future. As a substitute, he returned in shackles, his arms cuffed and legs chained all through the journey.
“Our legs had been chained and arms had been additionally cuffed all through the journey. There have been three ladies and three youngsters on board who weren’t cuffed,” Daljit informed information company PTI upon arrival. His expertise displays the tough actuality of unlawful migration, the place many fall prey to fraudulent journey brokers and endure gruelling journeys, solely to be deported again dwelling.

‘I used to be deceived by an agent’

Daljit recounted how he was lured by a journey agent in 2022, who promised to take him to the US legally in trade for Rs 65 lakh. To safe the deal, he handed over an advance settlement for an acre of his land. His journey started in November 2022, when he was first despatched to Dubai. After spending almost 18 months there, he returned to India, solely to be despatched to South Africa for four-and-a-half months.

From there, he was taken to Brazil on August 26 final yr and launched into a treacherous route by a number of international locations. The journey concerned strolling by dense forests, crossing rivers, and surviving on minimal meals. Finally, he reached Mexico, the place he was pressured to remain for a month whereas his journey agent coerced his spouse into signing over his land. Lastly, he crossed into the US on January 27, solely to be caught and detained by US Border Patrol. “I used to be given solely a bottle of water, a packet of chips, and an apple every day,” he informed PTI.

‘We had been informed we had been being shifted, however they despatched us again’

Sourav, a 20-year-old from Punjab’s Ferozepur district, additionally shared his harrowing expertise. His household spent Rs 45-46 lakh to ship him to the US, promoting farmland and borrowing cash from family. “We had been saved in a camp (detention centre) for 18 days,” he mentioned. “A day earlier than our deportation, we had been informed that we’d be shifted to a different camp. Once we boarded the aircraft, they mentioned we had been being taken to India.”

Sourav had travelled by Amsterdam, Panama, and Mexico earlier than trying to cross the border on January 27. “Our cellphones had been confiscated, and we had no contact with our households. Our arms and legs had been tied. We cooperated with the US authorities, however nobody heard our appeals.”

‘My household spent Rs 90 lakh for this shattered dream’

Harjit Singh, from Gurdaspur district, was deported alongside his cousin. His household spent Rs 90 lakh in hopes of securing a future within the US. “We had been assured that we’d be taken legally, however we weren’t,” he informed PTI. Harjit was caught whereas crossing the border on January 27 and detained for 18 days earlier than being deported on February

‘We bought our land and gold to ship our son overseas’

Sahil Preet Singh’s mother and father, from Kapurthala district, spent Rs 40-45 lakh, promoting their farmland and gold to fund his journey. His mom, Harvinder Kaur, accused a journey agent of duping them. “We demand that the Punjab authorities give our son a job and take authorized motion towards the agent who deceived us.”

‘We would like justice for our misplaced cash and desires’

Jaswinder Singh, from Dharamkot village in Moga, left for the US 45 days in the past. His household raised Rs 45 lakh by promoting land and giving it to an agent, who in the end betrayed them. “We want justice. Our hard-earned cash is gone, and our desires have been shattered.”