Jalandhar (Deepkamal Kaur): As many as 33,593 Indians are lodged in 214 detention centres across the US and have been facing removal proceedings under various immigration laws.

The count, available till June, has seen around 10-fold jump over the past eight months. In October 2019, 3,017 Indians were lodged in the detention centres that are controlled by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Lodged in detention centres

• There were 3,017 illegal Indian immigrants in US in October 2019
• The 33,593 nationals are lodged in 214 detention centres across the United States
• Though no state-wise breakup is available, most detainees are likely from Punjab

Sharing the figures that he accessed under the US Freedom of Information Act, North American Punjabi Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal said, “Though it wasn’t revealed which states the detainees belonged to, most of them are likely from Punjab. The human trafficking that is rampant in the state has landed a large number of youth in trouble abroad.”

Chahal claimed it was a matter of concern for the Indian community and embarrassment for the Union Government that such a large number of its nationals could be deported from the US.

He said 121 Indians were lodged at the Adams County Detention Center, 38 in Jackson Parish Correctional Center, 41 in Karnes County Residential Center, 40 in Lasalle Correction Center (Olla) and 66 in Winn Correctional Institute. The other jails have less than 20 Indian inmates each.

Though no latest male-female breakup of inmates is available, the US officials had in October 2019 shared that of the 3,017 Indians in detention centres, 2,933 were males and 84 females.

www.tribuneindia.com, Jul 25, 2020