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Proceedings in India's parliament were disrupted Thursday as opposition lawmakers vehemently protested against the US government's alleged mistreatment of Indian migrants deported back to India. Over 100 deportees were reportedly flown back in handcuffs and ankle chains aboard a US military plane, sparking outrage across the country. The flight, which arrived in the northern city of Amritsar on Wednesday, carried 104 Indian migrants who were deported as part of a crackdown on undocumented migrants initiated by the Trump administration. Photo: A US military plane deporting illegal Indian immigrants lands in Amritsar, India February 5, 2025./REUTERS The US Department of Defense confirmed that an Air Force C-17 plane was used for the flight. Opposition lawmakers took to the floor of parliament, condemning the treatment of the deportees, which included being shackled throughout the journey. The disruption forced the legislature to adjourn as lawmakers chanted and voiced their anger. "We are protesting precisely this issue — the manner in which the US did what they did was really unacceptable," said Shashi Tharoor, a member of parliament with the Indian National Congress. "We believe they have a legal right to deport people who are illegally in their country, and if they are proven to be Indian nationals, we have a legal obligation to accept them. But the manner in which it was done, in handcuffs, squeezed into a military aircraft, is not acceptable." Daler Singh, one of the deported migrants, described the conditions of the flight, saying: "Our hands and legs were cuffed throughout... They did not unlock our cuffs even when we ate." A 24-second video shared by U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks appeared to show the deportees boarding the military plane with their legs shackled. View this post on Instagram A post shared by U.S. Border Patrol (@borderpatrol) "USBP and partners successfully returned illegal aliens to India, marking the farthest deportation flight yet using military transport," Banks stated in the post. "This mission underscores our commitment to enforcing immigration laws and ensuring swift removals. If you cross illegally, you will be removed." In a social media post, Congress party lawmaker Gandhi shared another video of Harvinder Singh, a deportee who described his ordeal: "For 40 hours, we were handcuffed, our feet tied with chains, and we were not allowed to move an inch from our seats. It was worse than hell." Gandhi's post urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the issue, stating: "Listen to this man's pain... Indians deserve dignity and humanity, NOT handcuffs." Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the issue in parliament, stating that US officials had informed him that protocols had long allowed restraints for deportees, but that the practice was not applied to women and children on the plane this week. Jaishankar assured parliament that the Indian government was engaging with US officials to ensure deportees were treated with respect and dignity during future flights. The deportation flight marked the first such instance involving a US military plane, though the US had previously deported over 1,000 Indian migrants in 2024, typically on commercial flights without reports of mistreatment. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has stated that restraints are used during deportations for safety reasons, ensuring both the security of the flight and the safety of the migrants themselves. "At the request of certain countries, ICE agents will remove the restraints after deportees arrive in their home countries, and before they deplane," Jaishankar clarified. Jaishankar also highlighted the need for a "strong crackdown" on human trafficking, which he said plays a key role in illegal immigration. He promised that the Indian government would take action against those involved in trafficking operations. The controversial deportation comes just days before Prime Minister Modi's upcoming visit to Washington, where he is expected to discuss the issue with US President Donald Trump.
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