Harwinder Singh was on the first deportation flight from the U.S. to India, just weeks after President Donald Trump took office. Video of conditions on the military plane that carried them, shared by U.S. officials, sparked outrage among Indian lawmakers. Now, as India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, visits Washington, the incident is expected to resurface. Take all your stuff out of your bag and put it in front of you, O.K.? India accounts for the largest group of undocumented migrants to the U.S., other than Latin America. Singh said he and his fellow passengers were shackled and mistreated during the 40-hour intercontinental trip. Singh’s family has long struggled to make ends meet. Before his time in the U.S., Singh was a farmer, but that never made enough. He said he hoped to earn more in the U.S. and send it home. According to a Pew Research Center study, in 2022, there were approximately 700,000 undocumented Indians in the U.S., a number that has likely risen in recent years.
