PHAGWARA: National Farmers & BJP leader and Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal has urged the Punjab government to take responsibility for the rehabilitation and employment of Punjabis who have been deported from the United States.
Speaking on the issue of illegal Indian immigrants being detained and deported by the U.S. authorities, Grewal emphasized that these individuals are, first and foremost, Indian citizens before being identified as Punjabis, Gujaratis, or belonging to any other state.
He pointed out that many of them were lured by agents with the promise of a better life abroad, often taking on heavy debts to fund their journey.
However, after being caught and serving their legal sentences under U.S. laws, they have now been sent back to India.
According to reports, among those who arrived at Amritsar airport, 30 individuals belong to Punjab, 33 to Gujarat, 33 to Haryana, 2 to Chandigarh, and 3 to Maharashtra. The deportees include 12 minors under the age of 18 and approximately 24 women.
Grewal asserted that it is now the responsibility of state governments to ensure the rehabilitation of these individuals. He urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to focus on addressing Punjab’s issues instead of prioritizing his association with Delhi. He called on the state government to take immediate steps to provide employment and settlement opportunities for the affected individuals.
The BJP leader also highlighted the role of human traffickers in facilitating illegal immigration. He revealed that agents charge between ₹35 to ₹40 lakh per person for such journeys, often routing them through countries like Mexico and Panama before entering the U.S. illegally. Many of these migrants are eventually apprehended by American security forces and deported.
Grewal demanded that the Punjab government collect detailed information from the deported individuals and take strict legal action against the agents responsible for exploiting them. He stressed that curbing illegal immigration should be a priority to protect youth from falling prey to fraudulent networks and financial ruin.