The Indian Parliament was in turmoil on Thursday as opposition members expressed outrage over the reported mistreatment of 104 Indian deportees. The deportees were reportedly restrained with handcuffs and leg chains during their journey back to India on a U.S. military aircraft, as part of a sweeping deportation drive under the administration of former President Donald Trump.
This incident marks the first deportation flight of its kind, arriving in a northern Indian city on Wednesday. Opposition lawmaker Renuka Chowdhury denounced the treatment of the deportees, pointing out how they struggled even with basic facilities like using the washroom while being restrained. Another Parliament member, Gaurav Gogoi, described the experience as humiliating and demanded an in-depth discussion.
The uproar in Parliament echoed previous criticisms regarding a separate deportation case to Brazil on January 25. That flight led the Brazilian government to request explanations for what was described as “degrading treatment” affecting 88 passengers. Similar practices by U.S. civilian authorities include shackling migrants by their ankles and wrists, yet flights to India, specifically, occur infrequently. Reports from Witness at the Border indicate that the deportation flights to Amritsar were only conducted thrice last year.
In response, Parliament Speaker Om Birla attempted to contain the situation by highlighting that the deportations were conducted under U.S. foreign policy, which adheres to its laws and norms. However, these reassurances did little to quell the anger among opposition leaders, including Congress's Rahul Gandhi, who took their protest outside Parliament, equipped with handcuffs and signs reading, “Humans, not prisoners.” On social media, Gandhi pressed the issue further, asserting, “Indians deserve Dignity and Humanity, NOT Handcuffs.”
A broadcast by Gandhi featured Harvinder Singh, another deportee, who vividly recounted being shackled for up to 40 hours, unable to even stand—a situation he described as akin to experiencing “hell.”
Following the day's heated exchanges, India's External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, addressed the upper house of Parliament. He clarified that the current protocols allowing restraints in deportations have been in place since 2012, applying to both military and commercial flights. Jaishankar reassured that no procedural alterations had occurred in the recent flight, adding that the mistreatment claims were being addressed through engagement with U.S. authorities to prevent such occurrences in future deportations.
The diplomatic climate remains sensitive as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Washington within the next week, having recently discussed immigration policies over the phone with Trump. The conversations also pointed towards enhancing bilateral trade and increasing India's procurement of U.S. security equipment.
The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, represented by spokesperson Christopher Elms, cited the critical role of enforcing immigration laws for national security and public safety. Enforcement is integral to maintaining a secure environment, he stated, emphasizing the process against all ineligible and removable aliens.
Contributing to the statistics, Indian nationals have encountered increased arrests at the U.S.-Canada border, accounting for over 14,000 detentions in a year—comprising the majority of arrests at this location. Arrests on the Mexican border reached over 25,000. Since 2009, a total of 15,668 Indian citizens have been deported from the United States, as shared by Minister Jaishankar.
