US plane with deported Indians lands in Amritsar after crackdown on illegal immigrants. WATCH

A US military plane carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amritsar on Wednesday afternoon, marking the first migrant crackdown by the Donald Trump administration since taking office.

Official confirmation of the exact number of deportees is still pending. According to sources, 30 of those deported are from Punjab, while 33 each hail from Haryana and Gujarat. Additionally, three deportees are from Maharashtra, three from Uttar Pradesh, and two from Chandigarh. Earlier reports had suggested 205 deportees.

The flight touched down at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport at 1:55 PM under heavy Punjab Police security.

According to a report in News18, the highest number of deportees were from Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab, followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Several reports said that the 205 illegal immigrants, primarily belonged to Punjab and nearby states, with their hands and feet cuffed.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav was quoted saying that the state government was prepared to receive the returnees and has set up dedicated counters at the airport for processing.

Shortly after assuming office as US President, Trump initiated a crackdown on illegal immigrants. Prior to this, US military aircraft had already been used to repatriate deported immigrants to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras.

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In a notable development, the first deportation round involving Indian nationals has taken place amid reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the US next week—marking his inaugural trip since Trump's second presidential term began.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar stated that New Delhi is prepared to facilitate the 'legitimate return' of Indian nationals residing illegally abroad, including those in the US.

The Ministry of External Affairs further noted that India opposes illegal immigration due to its connections with various forms of organized crime.

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