New Delhi: Their American dream shattered and huge savings wasted, nearly 150 Indians returned home broke on Wednesday after being deported for either violating visa norms or illegally entering the United States.
As they stepped outside the airport, one after the other, they appeared sad. Some said they felt dejected that they could not realise their American dream even after several attempts.
“This was the fourth time I have been deported,” said Jabarjung Singh, from Punjab’s Bhatinda. He said he wanted to find a job and settle in the US.
“First time, I planned to go to Mexico and reached Bangkok on June 4, 2018. When I did not get a Mexican visa, I returned to India. On August 31 that year, I again tried and reached Ecuador, but could not reach Mexico. I was sent back to India after 20 days in Ecuador.
“Then I went to Bangkok, then Myanmar, and reached Mexico on February 17 this year. But the security agencies did not allow me to leave the airport and sent me back,” the 24-year-old mechanical engineer said.
On the fourth attempt, Jabarjung said, “I boarded a flight on May 15 (from Delhi) and reached Mexico via Moscow and Paris. From there, I tried to enter California on May 28, but was caught by police and deported from Arizona.”
He said he gave Rs 24 lakh to a Panchkula-based agent during the four attempts and spent six months in seven US camps before being deported to India.
Jabarjung said he was sad but not disheartened at his failed attempts.
“My family does not know about my deportation. From here, I will first go to my place in Bhatinda and will try to go to other countries for job later,” he said.
The special aircraft carrying the deportees landed at the T3 terminal of the Delhi airport at 6am on Wednesday, an airport official said. The aircraft reached India via Bangladesh.
After completing the paper work with the immigration department, these 150 Indians came out of the airport.
This was the second batch of Indians being deported in large numbers this year. On October 18, more than 300 Indians, including one woman, were deported by Mexico for illegally entering the country with an aim to sneak into the US.
