The Indian government is actively considering the creation of a new law aimed at facilitating “safe, orderly, and regular migration for overseas employment.” This consideration follows the controversy surrounding the deportation of over 100 Indian migrants, who were flown to Amritsar on a C-17 US military aircraft yesterday, shackled and chained.
The proposed law, tentatively called the ‘Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2024’, is based on a report presented in the Lok Sabha by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
The 104 deported individuals, who were part of a large-scale US crackdown on illegal immigration, come from various states including 33 from Haryana and Gujarat, 30 from Punjab, 3 from Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and 2 from Chandigarh. Among them, there were 19 women and 13 minors, including a four-year-old boy and two girls aged five and seven.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar assured Parliament that the government closely monitors the welfare of Indian citizens abroad, especially in times of tension, referencing past evacuations, such as those during the Ukraine crisis. He also mentioned that the government is prepared to take necessary actions, including organizing flights if necessary.
Shashi Tharoor acknowledged that deportations of illegal immigrants are not unusual but criticized the US authorities for the harsh manner in which they handled this particular case. He highlighted that although over 1,100 Indians were deported last year under the Biden administration, this instance garnered attention due to the aggressive approach.
The deportations are part of a broader trend of tightening US immigration policies, with an increasing number of Indian nationals being detained for illegal entry. Despite available legal migration options, many continue to take dangerous routes through Mexico and Central America in search of better opportunities.
