Jalandhar: With floods destroying his crop each year and difficult financial condition, Gurmeet Singh (name changed) of Sultanpur Lodhi sent his 20-year-old son to the US on April 27 this year with a hope of a better future. The youth came back this week after being deported from Texas. Having paid Rs 27 lakh to an agent for his illegal entry, Gurmeet does not know how will he settle his son again.

A farmer from the Mand area, Gurmeet, said, “I sold 2 acres to send my son to the US. The agent took him via the Mexico border and within hours of his entry into Texas, he was arrested. For 10-12 days, he remained in custody, after which he was moved to a migrant camp. The US government deported him last week. In fact, five youths from Sultanpur Lodhi who had gone with him also met the same fate. When Delhi airport authorities were completing legal formalities, my son came to know that there were 20 Punjabi youth, including 2 girls, in the same plane, who too had been deported.”

Gurmeet said his son told him there were 900 Indians in the migrant camp. Nearly 20 youths are being deported from the US almost daily.

A government employee, also posted in Sultanpur Lodhi, too shared a similar story of his nephew being deported two weeks ago. “My brother passed away a few years back. Besides my family, I had the responsibility to settle my two nephews. I somehow managed to send the younger one to the US through agents in May this year. We knew that he was going illegally but the videos of other Punjabis going via illegal routes emboldened us. We paid Rs 30 lakh to an agent after borrowing the amount from friends and family,” he said.

Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Navtej Cheema too said, “I have heard of eight or nine deportation cases in my area in the past week. I am sure there will be more as people keep such information under wraps. Citing their examples, I have been telling my residents of my constituency to be wary of such practice.”

Regional Passport Officer, Jalandhar, Harmanbir Gill said, “We have no data of youth getting deported. Though there have been incidents of youth contesting cases in the US for getting political asylum, we get to know such cases only when they return and depose before us.”

Executive Director of North American Punjabi Association Satnam Singh Chahal said, “We have been hearing such reports but I have no authenticity as of now. About 20 days ago, I had sought information from the US government under the Freedom of Information Act regarding Indians being deported and expect some data soon.”

The Tribune (tribuneindia.com, Aug 31, 2019)