US State Department highlights traffickers as sole beneficiaries of mass migration

Sharing a post on X, the US State Department said, "Many of the people who seek mass migration are often victimised along the way. It's not good for anyone. The only people who benefit from mass migration are traffickers."

"The Trump Administration is focused on stopping illegal migration and protecting both our borders and citizens," the post added.

Notably, the US Air Force plane carrying Indian citizens who allegedly illegally migrated to the US arrived in Punjab's Amritsar on Wednesday. As many as 104 Indian nationals were on the plane that landed in Amritsar.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, a day earlier, had said that it is the obligation of all nations to take back their nationals if they are found to be residing there illegally.

He further said that the Indian government is engaging the US government to ensure that the deportees are not illtreated in any manner.

In his statement on the US deportation of Indian nationals in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Jaishankar said that deportations by the US are organised and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE is effective from 2013. He said that there has been no change from past procedures for the flight undertaken by the US on February 5.

Jaishankar said, "Deportations by the US are organised and executed by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities. The standard operating procedure for deportation by aircraft used by ICE has been effective since 2012. I repeat, that is effective from 2012 and provides for the use of restraints. However, we have been informed by ICE that women and children are not restrained. Further, the needs of deportees including during transit, related to food and other necessities, including possible medical emergencies are attended to. During toilet breaks, deportees are temporarily unrestrained if needed in that regard." (ANI)