In a major crackdown on illegal immigration, the United States has deported 54 men from Haryana who were attempting to enter the country through the notorious “donkey route.” The deportees landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport over the weekend, where they were handed over to their families after preliminary questioning by immigration authorities.
According to NDTV, the men, mostly aged between 25 and 40, hail from several districts across Haryana including Karnal, Kaithal, Ambala, Yamuna Nagar, Kurukshetra, Jind, Sonipat, Panchkula, Panipat, Rohtak and Fatehabad. According to officials, most of them had travelled through a complex chain of countries in Latin America before crossing illegally into the US.
The “donkey route” refers to a dangerous and illegal migration trail used by human traffickers to smuggle people into countries like the United States, Canada, and Europe. Migrants often undertake perilous journeys on foot or by boat, moving through multiple borders without valid documents.
Police in Haryana have begun an investigation into the travel agents and networks suspected of luring young men with false promises of lucrative jobs abroad. Authorities say so far no formal complaint has been filed, but the process of identifying agents involved in organising these illegal trips is underway.
Officials revealed that many of the deported men had paid lakhs of rupees to agents who assured them of safe passage and employment opportunities in America. Instead, they ended up detained by US border authorities and were later sent back to India under deportation orders.
The Haryana government has issued fresh warnings to citizens, urging them not to fall prey to illegal immigration schemes that not only cost large sums of money but also put lives at serious risk. Police are coordinating with central agencies to track organised human smuggling networks operating within and outside the state.
The large-scale deportation underscores growing US vigilance on immigration violations and highlights the continuing desperation among young Indians seeking a better life abroad through unlawful routes.
Photo Credit: Reuters
