Many young people dreamed of a better life in the United States and left their homes for that chance. Families sold their land, took loans, and made huge sacrifices to help them go abroad. Sadly, instead of discovering new opportunities, they found themselves back in Amritsar on a US military plane, deported and feeling lost about the future.
In this latest group of deportees, 65 were from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, and a few from other states like Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Sourav, a 20-year-old from Chandiwala village, returned home on Sunday after being caught trying to cross the border on January 27. He had left on December 17, hoping to start a new life in America. “We were held in a detention center for 18 days,” Sourav said, explaining that their mobile phones were taken away and that they were told they would be moved to another camp before being put on a plane back to India.
Sourav’s family sold two acres of land and borrowed a lot of money to support his journey, spending around ₹45-46 lakh. The route to the US took him through Amsterdam, Panama, and Mexico, only to end in detention.
Harjit Singh, from Khanowal Ghuman village, had also hoped for a better life with his cousin. Instead, they returned home handcuffed. “We were caught trying to cross the US border on January 27 and kept in a detention center for 18 days. We were deported on February 13, chained and handcuffed,” he said, feeling deep disappointment. His family spent ₹90 lakh, which feels like a lot of money wasted.
Mantaj Singh, a 22-year-old from Bodal village, also faced troubles at the US border. He took a risky route called the “donkey route,” often used by illegal migrants, trusting people who only saw him as a way to make money.
In Behbal Bahadur village, Sahil Preet Singh’s family used all their savings—about ₹40-45 lakh—to send him abroad. His mother, Harvinder Kaur, said they sold their land and pawned jewelry, only to be tricked by a dishonest travel agent. “We were cheated,” she cried, hoping the government would help her son and take action against the agent.
Another young man, Jaswinder Singh from Dharamkot village, had also raised money by selling land. After nearly 45 days of trying to reach the US, he and his family returned empty-handed, victims of lies from the person they trusted.
Their experiences echo the stories of many others. When the first group of deportees arrived in Amritsar on February 5, their tales were almost the same. They all sought a better life, but returned home feeling defeated, caught in a system that exploits hope and desperation.
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