A U.S. military C-17 aircraft carrying approximately 205 undocumented Indian migrants departed from San Antonio on Monday, marking the farthest destination yet for the Trump administration's military deportation flights.
The aircraft, bound for Amritsar in Punjab, India, is expected to make a refueling stop in Ramstein, Germany during its journey that will take over 24 hours. U.S. authorities verified the identity of each deportee before their departure.
This deportation flight represents an escalation in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has identified nearly 18,000 undocumented Indian nationals among 1.5 million individuals marked for removal from the country.
India has expressed willingness to accept its citizens who are illegally present in the United States. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently stated that India remains open to the "legitimate return" of verified Indian citizens, though exact numbers are still being determined.
The Pentagon has expanded its role in immigration enforcement, now providing military aircraft for deportation flights. Previous missions have transported migrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras, with operations centered in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
According to the Pew Research Centre, approximately 725,000 unauthorized Indian immigrants currently reside in the United States, representing the third-largest undocumented population after Mexico and El Salvador.
The use of military aircraft for deportations comes at a substantial cost. Recent reports indicate that similar military deportation flights can cost upwards of $4,675 per migrant.
A U.S. Embassy spokesperson emphasized that these actions demonstrate the administration's commitment to stricter border enforcement and immigration law implementation, stating that "illegal migration is not worth the risk."