The US deported fourth batch of illegal Indian immigrants via Panama. The aircraft landed in Delhi, NDTV reported on Sunday. As many as 12 illegal Indian immigrants were brought back from the US in the latest flight.

According to news agency PTI, four more deportees, hailing from Punjab, arrived in Amritsar on Sunday. “It is learnt that the four were among the 12 illegal Indian immigrants brought back from the US on a flight via Panama that landed in Delhi earlier in the day,” the report added.

Confirming their arrival, Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said they hailed from Gurdaspur, Patiala and Jalandhar districts.

They arrived at the Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport here from Delhi via a commercial flight, she added.

Sources said Harpreet Singh and Maninder Dutt were from Gurdaspur, Jugraj Singh hailed from Jalandhar and Jatinder Singh was from Nabha in Patiala district.

Earlier, three batches of illegal Indian immigrants were brought back from the US in a military aircraft on February 5, 15 and 16 amid a crackdown by the Donald Trump government against illegal immigrants.

Many people from Punjab and other states, who entered the US through “donkey routes” — an illegal and risky pathway used by migrants to enter America or other illegal means by spending lakhs of rupees — are now facing deportation.

The landing of US military aircraft carrying illegal Indian immigrants at the Amritsar airport had triggered sharp reactions from several political leaders in Punjab.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had questioned the Centre’s move to land planes bringing deportees at Amritsar airport, accusing it of trying to defame Punjab under a conspiracy.

Mann had even asked the central government not to make the holy city a “deport centre”. He had also said that deportation was a national problem, but it was being made to appear that only Punjabis migrate illegally.