2,400 Indians Deported from US in 2024: MEA Confirms Amid Elderly Sikh Woman's Controversial Removal

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed on Friday that over 2,400 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States since the beginning of this year.

This issue gained renewed attention following the deportation of 73-year-old Harjit Kaur, a Sikh woman from Punjab who had lived in the United States for nearly three decades.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized that India does not endorse unauthorized migration and is committed to establishing channels for legal and safe movement of its citizens abroad.

According to official figures, US authorities have repatriated 2,417 Indians between January 20 and September 25, with Kaur being among the recent returnees.

Jaiswal clarified the repatriation process, stating that when Indian nationals are found residing abroad without proper documentation and their citizenship is verified, they are accepted back by the Indian government.

"We want to promote legal pathways for migration. At the same time, India stands against illegal migration," the spokesperson stated during the briefing.

He further explained that once background verification confirms nationality, individuals facing deportation are repatriated to India. "Because, then we are in a position to take them back. This is what has been happening with the deportations from the US."

Jaiswal highlighted India's commitment to addressing visa fraud: "As far as visa fraud cases and other such matters are concerned, we want to promote legal migration from India."

The spokesperson added that the government is working to curb illegal migration as it undermines efforts to promote legitimate pathways. He noted that the central government is actively coordinating with state authorities to dismantle visa rackets and illegal migration networks.

Harjit Kaur's case has drawn significant attention. She relocated to the United States over thirty years ago with her sons following her husband's death. While working in California's Bay Area, she submitted multiple asylum applications over the years, all of which were unsuccessful.

Her deportation sparked outrage across communities in the US, with hundreds of supporters gathering in California to protest and demand her release.

Her granddaughter, Sukhdeep Kaur, described her grandmother as embodying the American dream. She was "everyone's grandma" - a "mother figure [to the community who] is independent, selfless, hard-working," Sukhdeep told Berkeleyside, a nonprofit news portal.

The circumstances of Kaur's deportation have raised concerns. On September 8, she was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during a routine check. Reports indicate she was handcuffed and transferred to Georgia on September 19 under allegedly harsh conditions, held in custody without notification to her lawyer or family. Within 48 hours, ICE authorities returned her to India.