A total of 33 Gujaratis have started arriving at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad on Monday following their deportation from the United States. This deportation is part of a broader crackdown by the administration of US President Donald Trump on undocumented migrants.
The first group of deportees, consisting of four individuals from Mehsana, arrived at the airport at 11.18 am. They were escorted by the Mehsana Local Crime Branch (LCB) out of the airport.
Two of these deportees were from Mehsana, while one was from Surendranagar. Another deportee from Gandhinagar remains at the airport and will be released along with other Gandhinagar residents after the arrival of the second flight at 2 pm. This marks the third deportation within 12 days, bringing the total number of repatriated Gujaratis to 78.
Authorities have heightened security measures at the airport, with a police convoy and officials from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) present to manage the situation and ensure a smooth transition for the deportees.
The third flight carrying 112 deported Indian citizens landed at Amritsar airport on Sunday night. The flight was operated by the US Air Force under the code RCH869.
Of the 112 deportees, 44 were from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 31 from Punjab, two from Uttar Pradesh, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Among the deportees were 19 women and 14 minors.
List of Gujaratis deported in the third flight from the US
1. Sapnaben Chetansinh Rana
2. Dakshrajsinh Chetansinh Rana
3. Axrajsinh Chetansinh Rana
4. Payal Anilkumar Prajapati
5. Deep Ghanshyambhai Patel
6. Sakshiben Deep Patel
7. Hasmukhbhai Revabhai Patel
8. Dhavalbhai Kiritkumar Luhar
9. Pooja Dhavalbhai Luhar
10. Rudra Dhavalbhai Luhar
11. Neet Tusharbhai Patel
12. Tushar Pravinchandra Patel
13. Chetanaben Tushar Patel
14. Himanshi Chiragkumar Patel
15. Chiragkumar Shaileshkumar Patel
16. Hardikkumar Dashrathbhai Patel
17. Swati Hardik Patel
18. Henil Hardikkumar Patel
19. Disha Hardikkumar Patel
20. Mahi Rajeshbhai Patel
21. Jay Rajeshbhai Patel
22. Harmi Rajeshkumar Patel
23. Manjulaben Rajeshbhai Patel
24. Rajesh Baladevbhai Patel
25. Ranjitbhai Jayantibhai Raval
26. Chetansinh Bharatsinh Rana
27. Anilkumar Bhikhabhai Prajapati
28. Aarav Anilkumar Prajapati
29. Drashti Anilkumar Prajapati
30. Hiteshbhai Rameshbhai Rami
31. Jayeshkumar Bholabhai Patel
32. Hiralben Jayeshkumar Patel
33. Pransh Jayeshkumar Patel
The third batch arrived within 24 hours of another US military aircraft bringing a second batch of 119 deportees to Amritsar on Saturday night. This second group included 67 deportees from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, and several others from different Indian states. Among them, one individual from Haryana and another from Punjab were arrested in connection with unrelated pending cases.
The first deportation flight, which arrived on February 5, carried 104 deported Indian citizens, with 33 from Gujarat and another 33 from Haryana.
“Why landing in Punjab?”
The deportations have initiated political controversy, particularly in Punjab, where opposition leaders have raised concerns about the flights landing in Amritsar.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the Indian government of selecting Amritsar deliberately to defame Punjab and its people. He suggested that future deportation flights should land in Delhi or Ahmedabad instead.
Foreign officials have defended the deportations, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar confirming that the deportees were shackled in line with past procedures.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri added that the US had identified 487 “presumed Indian citizens” facing deportation. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, there are an estimated 220,000 undocumented Indian migrants in the US.
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