India raises concerns over US deportation methods; Cong moves NHRC

New Delhi: India has expressed concerns to the US regarding the deportation of illegal Indian immigrants in shackles, stating that such treatment "could have been avoided," Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Friday.

His remarks follow widespread criticism over the deportation of 104 Indian nationals who were returned on a US military aircraft while restrained during a 40-hour flight.

"We do make our concerns known to the United States that this kind of treatment can perhaps be avoided," Misri said in response to questions on the deportation. He noted that there are 487 presumed Indian citizens with final removal orders from the US, of which details of 298 individuals have been shared with Indian authorities for verification.

Misri clarified that the US policy of deporting illegal immigrants in restraints has been in place since 2012. Addressing a query on whether India had formally protested such deportations in the past, he said, "I don't think there was any protest. We don't have any record of any protest having been made about it." He referred to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent statement in Parliament, highlighting that these procedures have been standard practice for over a decade.

India has emphasised to US authorities that deportees should not face mistreatment, reported PTI. "We will continue to take up any instances of mistreatment that come to our attention," Misri said, adding that the real issue that needs to be addressed is the "ecosystem of illegal immigration."

Meanwhile, the Congress's Delhi unit has approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), condemning the deportation as "inhumane." In a complaint submitted on Friday, the party demanded an inquiry and urged the central government to take steps to prevent similar incidents.

The delegation, led by Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav, argued that the deported individuals had gone to the US in search of jobs and were not involved in criminal activities. "The manner in which they were deported in a military plane in shackles on a flight stretching over 40 hours was inhuman and a gross violation of human rights by the US," the party stated.

The complaint urged the NHRC to investigate why these Indian immigrants were subjected to such treatment and sought directives for the Centre to ensure that Indian nationals are not "humiliated and deported in an inhuman manner, flouting international laws."

A US military aircraft carrying 104 Indian citizens landed in Amritsar on Wednesday, marking the first such large-scale deportation under the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration.