Indian Woman's Struggle Ends in Deportation Amid U.S. Border Crackdown

Lovepreet Kaur, a 30-year-old resident of Bholath in Punjab's Kapurthala district, embarked on a journey to the United States with her 10-year-old son on January 2, driven by the hope of reuniting with her husband, who has been residing there for several years. However, her aspirations were tragically curtailed when U.S. border authorities apprehended them while attempting to cross into the country via Mexico.

The family's pursuit of a better future came at an immense cost. According to their statements, they paid approximately ₹1.05 crore to agents who assured them safe passage to the U.S. through the perilous 'donkey' or 'dunki' route across Latin America. At home, her in-laws, who own nearly six acres of farmland, had traveled to Amritsar to receive her and the child. However, the devastating turn of events left them unwilling to speak extensively on the matter.

Lovepreet's husband was the one to inform the family of her detention, later confirming that she was being deported. A village sarpanch revealed that the majority of the funds for the journey were arranged by her husband from the U.S., while the family secured additional resources through a loan against their farmland. “The agent assured our family of a direct route to the U.S., but what we experienced was far from what we were led to believe,” The Indian Express quoted Lovepreet Kaur as saying.

The Harrowing Journey and Detention

Instead of a straightforward passage, Lovepreet Kaur was forced to traverse a treacherous route spanning multiple countries. She and her son were initially flown to Medellin, Colombia, where they remained for nearly two weeks before being transferred to San Salvador, El Salvador. From there, they endured a three-hour trek to Guatemala, followed by a journey via taxis to the Mexican border. After a two-day stay in Mexico, they finally crossed into the U.S. on January 27.

Upon arrival, authorities confiscated their SIM cards and personal belongings, including jewelry. “I had already lost my luggage in a previous country, so I had nothing left to deposit,” she recounted. They were then held in a detention camp for five days. On February 2, deportation procedures escalated. “We were shackled from the waist to our legs, with our hands cuffed. Only the children were spared,” she disclosed.

The most agonizing moment came during their 40-hour flight aboard a U.S. military C-17 aircraft. “No one informed us of our destination. When we finally landed in India, the realization was crushing. We were only informed at Amritsar airport that we had returned, but it felt as though our dreams had been irreversibly shattered,” she lamented.

Political Fallout and Protests in Parliament

The deportation of 104 Indian migrants from the United States sparked intense political debate in India, leading to disruptions in Parliament on Thursday. Opposition lawmakers raised concerns over the reported mistreatment of the deportees.

Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury criticized the treatment of the deportees, stating they were “handcuffed, had their legs chained, and even struggled to use the washroom.” Her colleague, Gaurav Gogoi, condemned the ordeal as “degrading.” The ensuing uproar led to parliamentary adjournments as opposition members demanded discussions on the matter.

The protests echoed broader concerns over the U.S. administration's evolving deportation policies. A similar controversy arose following a January 25 deportation flight to Brazil, prompting the Brazilian government to seek explanations for the “degrading treatment” of 88 passengers.

The Trump administration's use of military aircraft for deportations to countries such as Guatemala and Ecuador marks a significant departure from previous practices, which relied on chartered and commercial flights operated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The case of Lovepreet Kaur and others like her underscores the growing humanitarian and diplomatic implications of evolving immigration policies.