Chandigarh, Sept. 29 -- Six months ago, half of the illegal Indian immigrants deported from the United States belonged to Punjab and Haryana. The ministry of external affairs data shows that of the 1,703 Indians deported so far this year, 620 youngsters, the highest number in the country, are from Punjab.

Besides the three US military aircraft that landed in Amritsar, illegal immigrants have been sent back on regular civilian flights between February 5 and July 22.

With their American dreams cut short, the deportees find themselves trapped in a web of debt and deceit. Their families sold land and took loans to send them to the US, hoping for a better life only to be cheated by dubious travel agents. The notorious donkey route, as the il...