Penury, lack of job opportunities and the hope for a bright future had pushed several youngsters to undertake an arduous months-long journey to the US through the illegal “donkey” route — crossing multiple countries — before being caught on the country’s border with Mexico.
According to their relatives, even connecting through phone wasn’t possible for prolonged periods after they were duped by travel agents, many of whom had promised a safe passage to the country, and that too in a legal way.
Now, after being deported from the US, their families are staring at a bleak future, with many of them unable to fathom how they would be able to pay lakhs of rupees raised to send their children abroad in the hope of getting rid of poverty.
Twenty-one-year-old Vikramjit Singh’s grandfather Harmail Singh at Kapurthala’s Dongrawal village flagged similar concerns.
“Getting enough to eat is a luxury. We don’t know how we would survive now as unemployment is high here,” he said, adding that Vikramjit’s parents left for Amritsar to bring him back home after the news of his deportation arrived.
Vikramjit, the only brother to six sisters, had left for the US two months ago. With his deportation, his family’s hopes of earning enough for a life of dignity have been dashed.
“I am an illiterate man. I only know that it was difficult for our child to survive here. We were banking on him to change our days, but now that hope has also gone with his depotation,” said Harmail Singh, adding that Vikramjit is a Class 12 pass-out
“Earlier, he worked as a daily wager. We don’t own any land and our survival is on what we earn daily. Vikramjit’s father is also aged now. How much he can work? His (Vikramjit) moving to the US had brought some hope,’ he added.
Of Vikramjit’s six sisters, four are married. Villagers say they are among the poorest families of the village.
Had left home 8 months ago
Tanda Urmar (Hoshiarpur): Among those deported from the US were two residents of the Tanda area here. Harvinder Singh of Tahli village had crossed the US-Mexico border illegally last month and was in the detention camp in the US since then. Harvinder’s wife Kuljinder Kaur said he had left home eight months ago and the travel agent, a resident of their village, had promised them to arrange a valid visa for him. Kuljinder said despite taking Rs 42 lakh from them, the travel agent sent her husband to the US through an illegal route.Harvinder had sent her a message on January 15, informing her that he had crossed the Mexico border and reached the US. After this, he could not be contacted and today the family came to know that he has been deported. Sukhpal, a resident Darapur Tanda, had gone to Italy on a work permit eight months ago and was later caught entering the US. Sukhpal’s father Prem Pal did not share the information how his son reached the US. Prem Pal said he had talked to his around three weeks ago over the phone and did not know that he was being deported — OC
Family raised ₹50 lakh from moneylenders to pay agents
Fatehgarh Sahib: Jaswinder Singh, a resident of Kahanpura of Amloh subdivision here, had left for the US three months ago. His family members immediately rushed to Amritsar as soon as they came to know about his deportation. A villager on the condition of anonymity said Jaswinder Singh belongs to a family of farmers, who own just one and half acres. His family also runs a small dairy shop at Mandi Gobindgarh. Jaswinder Singh had been working as a milkman with his father and wanted to shift to the US in search for a bright future. He went to the US via Europe, adopting an illegal route. He was arrested by the US authorities on January 15 while crossing the country’s border with Mexican. He had taken nearly three months to reache the US in search for a bright future. His father had paid around Rs 45-50 lakh to a travel agent to send his son abroad. He had raised the amount on a high interest rate from some moneylenders, according to their relatives. — OC
Went to UK on valid visa, later entered US via donkey route
Ludhiana: Muskan (21), a resident of Partap Nagar at Jagraon in Ludhiana district, wanted to settle in the US. She tried to reach the country of her dreams through the donkey route. However, the luck was not on his side as she was caught entering the US from from the Mexico border. Muskan had left for the UK on a valid study visa two years ago. She last talked to her parents on january 25, saying she is going to the US. Eldest among four siblings, Muskan’s father Jagdish Kumar who, runs an eating joint in old Sabji Mandi, Jagraon, was inconsolable. Kumar said his dream of seeing his daughter settled in the US has been shattered now. “I can’t believe it. I have four daughters and she is the eldest. She was the hope of all family,” Kumar said. Kumar said he had sent his daughter abroad by taking loan from a bank and borrowed money from relatives. — TNS
Family owns 10 acres, but son left India over a month ago
Sangrur: Inderjit Singh (23), a resident of Gurney Khurd village (Lehragaga) here, was reportedly caught by the US border police at the Maxico border. Ravinder Singh Rinkoo, president of the Panchayat Union, Punjab, said Inderjit had gone abroad about one-and-a-half-month ago in search for a bright future. Inderjit’s father owns around 10 acres. Rinkoo said Inderjit Singh also has a sister. — OC
Spent entire life’s earnings
Tarn Taran: Mandeep Singh (25), a resident of Chohla Sahib here, had gone to Italy two years ago and from there he went to the US. Though his family refrained from commenting on his deportation, his father Naunihal Singh, who runs a sanitary shop, said he had spent his whole life’s savings to send Mandeep abroad. He refused to divulge further details, saying he won’t discuss his personal affairs. — OC
Graduate who wanted better future in foreign land
Nawanshahr: “I am mentally very disturbed, I do not know what has happened. I don’t know what went wrong,” said Umrao Singh, an uncle of 27-year-old Manpreet Singh from Simbal Majara in Nawanshahr’s Balachaur. Manpreet had gone to the US two months ago. “I had not talked to him since the time he left,” Umrao Singh said. He said he was being hounded by the media. “When he will come, everyone will get to know,” he said, without sharing further details on his nephew’s journey. “At least, he has returned safely. That is what matters right now,” Umrao Singh said, adding that Manpreet was a graduate and wanted to go abroad for better future. There was another name from Nawanshahr in the list of US deportees. Saveen from Laroya village found his mention in the list, however, the village sarpanch denied having any information or any man of this name in the village. — TNS
