India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has addressed concerns regarding the treatment of Indian citizens being deported from the United States. He stated that the Indian government is actively engaging with the U.S. government to ensure that these deportees are treated humanely.

The issue arose after a recent incident involving a U.S. military aircraft that returned 104 Indians accused of illegal entry into the United States. A deportee told the BBC that they were handcuffed for the entire 40-hour journey, which led to public outcry.

Jaishankar said that U.S. officials have assured him that women and children are not restrained during transit.

Deportations are organized and executed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and their standard operating procedure (SOP) for deportation by aircraft has been in effect since 2012. This SOP permits the use of restraints.

ICE has stated that the needs of deportees are addressed during their journey, including food, medical care, and temporary removal of restraints for bathroom breaks.

Jaishankar clarified that deportations from the U.S. are not new and have been ongoing for several years.

Instructions have been given to authorities to investigate how the deported individuals travelled to the U.S., identify the agents involved, and take precautions to prevent future occurrences.

Jaishankar emphasised that all nations have an obligation to take back their citizens who are residing illegally in other countries.

The focus should be on cracking down on the illegal migration industry while easing visa processes for legitimate travellers.

The U.S. Embassy has stated that the U.S. is vigorously enforcing its border and immigration laws, sending a clear message that illegal migration is not worth the risk.

ANI