18,822 Indian nationals deported by US since 2009, 3,258 in 2025: S Jaishankar in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: As many as 18,822 Indian nationals have been deported by the United States since 2009, including 3,258 since January 2025, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Responding to supplementaries in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said state governments and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have also investigated cases of human trafficking, in which Punjab has the maximum number of cases.

"Since 2009, a total of 18,822 Indian nationals have been deported to India," the minister informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.

He said 617 Indians had been deported in 2023, and as many as 1,368 were deported in 2024.

"Since January 2025, a total of 3,258 Indian nationals have been deported by the United States to India. Of these, 2,032 individuals (approximately 62.3 per cent) were deported on regular commercial flights, while the remaining 1,226 (37.6 per cent) arrived on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operated charter flights.

Replying to supplementaries, the minister said the NIA established some years ago an anti-human trafficking division, and it has today a mandate to cover human trafficking. State governments have also launched investigations into human trafficking cases, he noted.

"The NIA has registered and investigated 27 human trafficking cases, resulting in 169 arrests and chargesheets against 132 individuals. The NIA arrested two important traffickers in Haryana and Punjab on August 7 and then in Himachal Pradesh, two more people on October 2," the minister informed.

Jaishankar said, as far as state governments are concerned, "The maximum number of trafficking cases is from the state of Punjab. The Punjab government has constituted an SIT and a fact-finding committee. As per information given by them to us, 25 FIRs have been registered against 58 illegal travel agents, and 16 accused have been arrested." "In the case of state of Haryana, 2,325 cases have been registered and 44 FIRs have been registered and 27 people have been arrested. Also, one significant trafficker has been arrested by the state of Gujarat," he said.

Jaishankar said the Ministry of External Affairs remains engaged with the U.S. side to ensure the humane treatment of deportees during U.S. ICE/CBP deportation operations.

The Ministry has strongly registered its concerns with the U.S. authorities on the treatment of deportees, particularly with respect to the use of shackles, especially on women and children, the minister told the house in his written reply.

No instance of shackling of women and children has been brought to the notice of this Ministry since the 5th February deportation flight, he said.

Jaishankar said the U.S. authorities have conveyed that the Restraining Policy for U.S. deportation flights is in place since 19 November 2012 as part of the Standard Operating Procedure of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"They have also conveyed that their policy of shackling deportees is followed to ensure the safety and security of all passengers on these flights. In the past, they claim that there have been instances of violence by deportees against fellow deportees and supporting crew members on such deportation flights. While women and minors are generally not shackled, the flight officer in charge of a deportation flight, in the interest of the safety of the mission, has the final say on the matter.

"It is also pertinent to note that wanted criminals and gangsters who have been accused of terrorism, homicide, attempt to murder, extortion, etc., have also been removed on these deportation flights. In India’s case, absconding criminals such as Lakhwinder Singh and Anmol Bishnoi, against whom lookout notices and arrest warrants have been issued by our law enforcement agencies, have been brought back on such deportation flights," the minister said in his written reply.

Based on the accounts and testimonies given by returning deportees, he said the Central and respective State Governments along with the relevant law enforcement agencies, have registered a number of cases, and investigations as well as actions are ongoing against several illegal immigration agents, criminal facilitators and human trafficking syndicates that run these rackets.

On a specific case of one Harjit Kaur (73) who was deported by US on February 25, the minister told the member that even though she was not handcuffed, she was maltreated during her detention and the matter was raised by them with the US authorities.

"Whenever any flight with deportees comes, the deportees are invariably interviewed by the officials of the Government of India. In this case, our immigration officers have confirmed that she was not handcuffed. We have seen reports reportaining to this.

"While Harjit Kaur was not handcuffed, she was maltreated. She was maltreated in detention before she was put on the flight. On September 26, we have officially taken up her maltreatment with the American Embassy. We have made clear our very strong concern about the manner of her treatment and have asked the American authorities to look into this matter," Jaishankar told the house.