On Wednesday afternoon, a US military plane carrying 205 undocumented Indian immigrants is scheduled to touch down at Amritsar's Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport. The plane appears to have been delayed from its initial Wednesday morning landing time. The governments of the United States and India have not disclosed any information regarding the passengers on the aircraft.

A C-17 Globemaster is reportedly transporting illegal immigrants from Punjab and nearby areas after taking off from San Antonio, Texas. The United States' law enforcement authorities have begun to crack down on illegal immigrants since Donald Trump took office as president last month. Deportation is now a possibility for many Punjabis who paid lakhs of rupees to enter the US illegally through "donkey routes" or other means.

Punjabi ministers and officials have responded to the US military planes transporting deported Indians from the state and its surrounding regions. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, the state's minister of NRI affairs, said on Tuesday that he was disappointed by the US government's decision and that these people, who helped the US economy, ought to have been given permanent status rather than being deported.

While both Indian and US officials have refrained from making detailed public statements, sources suggest that this deportation is the result of sustained negotiations between the two governments. The use of a military aircraft instead of commercial means indicates the urgency and sensitivity of the matter.

The state government will welcome the immigrants and set up counters at the airport, according to Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav. Authorities, including the Punjab police, are on high alert.