Indian Deportees from US Land in Delhi After Panama Detention

A group of Indian deportees, sent back from the United States and briefly held in Panama, touched down in New Delhi on Sunday evening. The repatriation, reported by India Today, marks the first batch of Indians returned from Panama amid a US crackdown on illegal immigration. These individuals, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab, arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport on a Turkish Airlines flight after a stopover in Istanbul.

This move follows the U.S. deportation of around 299 migrants to Panama, a temporary hub in a new arrangement to manage undocumented immigrants. The group included people from 10 Asian countries, but this flight brought home the first Indians caught up in the process.

The deportees were part of a larger wave of 299 migrants flown to Panama last week. There, they stayed at a hotel in Panama City, guarded by local police. Panama’s Security Minister, Frank Abrego, said more than half of these migrants—171—agreed to return to their home countries willingly. The U.S. funded their stay through the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency, easing their transition back.

Panama’s President, Jose Raul Mulino, confirmed the migrants came from nations like India, Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan. His government stepped up to act as a “bridge” for deportees, a deal struck with the Trump administration to tackle illegal migration. The Indians in this batch were among those who chose voluntary repatriation after their detour in Central America.

The U.S. turned to Panama as a transit point because deporting directly to some Asian countries can be tricky. Earlier this month, three U.S. military flights carried over 330 Indian deportees to Amritsar, Punjab. But this latest group took a different route, landing in Panama first. It’s part of a broader push by President Donald Trump’s administration to deport millions living illegally in the U.S., ramping up efforts that began with military planes in early February.

The group that arrived in Delhi included men from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab—states with a history of migration to the U.S. Four earlier batches this month saw over 300 others return, mostly to Punjab’s Amritsar airport. This time, the capital became the entry point. Officials haven’t released exact numbers for this flight, but India Today pegged it as a small batch, possibly around a dozen, based on similar reports.

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The Ministry of External Affairs has been working to verify citizenship and arrange safe returns. “We’re ensuring these Indian nationals come back home smoothly,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week, hinting at more flights to come.

This repatriation ties into a tense moment for U.S.-India relations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a recent U.S. visit, assured cooperation on deportations but stressed cracking down on human trafficking networks driving illegal crossings. The U.S. estimates up to 725,000 undocumented Indians live there, making them the third-largest group after Mexicans and Salvadorans, according to Pew Research.

For Panama, hosting deportees has stirred debate. Images of migrants holding “Help” signs from hotel windows went viral last week, though Abrego insisted they were safe and cared for. Of the 299 in Panama, 128 initially resisted returning home, but talks with UN agencies have shifted some minds.

As the Trump administration doubles down, more Indians could face deportation. Three flights hit Amritsar between February 5 and 16, carrying 332 people. This Delhi arrival signals a new phase, with commercial flights like Turkish Airlines now in play alongside military ones.