Authorities in Punjab, India, announced Tuesday that police had raided nearly 1,300 immigration firms in the state as part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal travel agents. The raids come amid a rise in the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States.
Police operations targeted 1,274 immigration firms across 28 districts in Punjab, as part of efforts to address the growing issue of illegal immigration. Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, about 300 Indian nationals have been deported, most of whom have returned to Punjab. The fourth group of deported individuals arrived in New Delhi last week.
Arpit Shukla, a senior Punjab police official, confirmed that at least 24 first information reports (FIRs) had been filed against travel agents accused of breaking the law, and seven arrests had been made. He added that the operations continued until late Monday.
Shukla emphasized that authorities were taking strict action against agents involved in illegal practices, especially those who fraudulently promised to facilitate unlawful entry into foreign countries.
A 2022 report from Pew Research Center revealed that India has the largest population of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S., with 725,000 people affected. Following a wave of deportations, Punjab police have intensified efforts against travel agents who engage in illicit immigration activities. The neighboring state of Haryana has also taken similar actions.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar explained earlier this month in Parliament that deportations of illegal immigrants from the U.S. are not a new development and have been ongoing for several years.
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