In a landmark move under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, the United States has deployed its first military flight to deport illegal migrants to India. A C-17 military transport aircraft, which departed the US on Monday, is transporting a number of Indian nationals back to their home country.
The flight is expected to take at least 24 hours to reach India, according to an unnamed US official, although the precise number of individuals aboard has not been disclosed. A C-17 aircraft typically has a capacity to carry up to 130 people.
The flight marks a new phase in the Trump administration’s strategy to use the US military to enforce its immigration policies.
This includes not only deportation flights but also sending additional troops to the southern border with Mexico, deploying military aircraft for deportations, and opening military bases to house migrants. Since Trump took office, the US military has been used to deport thousands of immigrants, including more than 5,000 migrants detained in cities like El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California.
India is now the furthest destination for US military deportation flights, which have previously been used to send migrants back to Central and South American countries like Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras.
Despite the high cost of military deportation flights—an estimated $4,675 per migrant in the case of the recent flight to Guatemala—officials maintain that these efforts are crucial in enforcing US immigration laws.
The US Embassy declined to provide further details on the latest flight but emphasized its commitment to securing the US border. A spokesperson said, “The United States is vigorously enforcing its border, tightening immigration laws, and removing illegal migrants,” adding that these actions send a clear message: “Illegal migration is not worth the risk.”
There has been no official response from Indian authorities regarding the deportation flight, but India has expressed its willingness to cooperate with the US government on the issue of illegal immigration. India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, reiterated that India opposes illegal immigration due to its links to organized crime.
He stated that India would accept deported nationals only after verifying their nationality. This practice is in line with India’s long-standing position that it will take back Indian nationals who have overstayed in the US or entered the country illegally.
According to US Department of Homeland Security sources, over 1,100 Indian nationals were deported from the US between October 2023 and September 2024. The last publicly known deportation flight for Indian nationals took place on October 22, 2024, when around 100 migrants were sent back to India via a charter flight.
While there has been a steady increase in deportations of Indian nationals, Indian government officials have refrained from discussing the exact number of illegal Indian immigrants in the US.
However, unofficial reports suggest that there are approximately 18,000 illegal Indian migrants currently in the US.
The Trump administration’s use of military aircraft for deportations is part of a broader strategy to combat illegal immigration. While flights like the one to India represent a more distant and costly method of deportation, they are seen as part of an ongoing effort to ensure the US follows through on its pledge to tighten immigration enforcement.
Some officials in the US government have suggested that the military could be called upon to handle even more deportations, as part of a long-term strategy to address illegal migration from countries outside of the Americas.
Royce Bernstein Murray, assistant secretary for border and immigration policy, emphasized the ongoing cooperation between the US and India.
She expressed satisfaction with the collaboration and highlighted that the deportations of Indian nationals have been carried out smoothly, with good cooperation from the Indian government.
Murray also pointed out that while the US sees more illegal immigration from countries in the Western Hemisphere, there has been a growing concern about illegal migrants from other regions, including India.
Despite the high costs of military deportation flights, officials argue that they are necessary to deter the growing trend of illegal immigration from countries such as India.
In addition to deportations, US officials are also focused on addressing the role of human traffickers and illegal immigration rings that exploit vulnerable migrants.
These criminal organizations often prey on young people seeking to enter the US for education or work, offering them false information about student visas and other legal pathways.
US officials have also made it clear that more efforts need to be made to raise awareness about the consequences of using illegal migration pathways and the risks posed by unscrupulous travel agencies.
The government has called for increased international cooperation to combat these issues and to help vulnerable individuals avoid falling victim to human trafficking.
In summary, the US military’s deportation flight to India represents a significant step in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy.
The use of military resources, combined with international collaboration, is expected to play a key role in the US’s efforts to address illegal immigration and combat the trafficking of migrants across borders.
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