Ten Jammu Kashmir Residents Among 1,703 Indians Deported from US

SRINAGAR: Ten residents of Jammu and Kashmir are among 1,703 Indian nationals deported from the United States between January 20 and July 22 this year, according to figures tabled in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written reply to an unstarred question, said the deportees from J&K were part of a larger nationwide tally that included 620 from Punjab, 604 from Haryana, and 245 from Gujarat — the states with the highest numbers. The deportations were carried out through a mix of military and charter flights arranged by US agencies, as well as individual returns on commercial flights.

The data shows that 333 Indians were deported via US Customs and Border Protection military flights in February, 231 via charter flights operated by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March and June, and 300 on Department of Homeland Security charters in July. Another 839 people, including those from Jammu and Kashmir, returned on commercial flights from the US and Panama. Of the total, 1,562 were men and 141 were women.

The MEA said it had raised strong concerns with US authorities over the treatment of deportees, particularly the use of shackles, including on women and children, and issues related to religious and cultural sensitivities such as turbans and dietary preferences. It noted that no complaints had been received about deportation flights after February 5, 2025.

On questions relating to student visas, Singh said the ministry had received multiple representations from Indian students and their families over reported delays and the suspension of fresh appointments for student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, J categories). The ministry, he said, remains engaged with US authorities on the issue and continues to monitor the situation through Indian missions.

The government also maintains communication mechanisms for Indians in the US facing deportation, visa denial, or other immigration issues, including 24×7 emergency lines, social media outreach, and direct coordination with American agencies. On rehabilitation, the MEA said deported students could access existing reintegration and education support measures, although no separate scheme had been detailed in the reply.