AHMEDABAD: For years, Gujarat saw an exodus of people desperate to settle in the US, often undertaking perilous journeys and incurring significant financial burdens. However, the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration has shattered those aspirations for many, including 33 Gujaratis deported this week.
Among them is Ketul Patel from Patan, who worked in Surat’s diamond industry for 25 years. Five months ago, the 40-year-old sold his house and borrowed Rs 50 lakh to illegally immigrate to the US with his wife, Kiran, 38, and two children aged 17 and 11.
His family back in Manud village were unaware of the deportation until they saw the news on television. Saddled by financial losses, they face an uncertain future. “We are relieved that he is returning safely, but what now? Ketul and his brother worked in the diamond industry for years, till they were hit by an economic downturn. We had already sold our farmland to buy them houses in Surat. Ketul decided to sell everything and go to the US to build a better future. Now, they will have to start from scratch,” said his mother, Hiraba Patel. She hopes for govt assistance as they struggle to rebuild their lives.
Meanwhile, in Mehsana, another Patel family is anxiously awaiting the arrival of their deported relatives – a couple and their four-year-old son. The couple, in their 30s, had migrated illegally to the US in 2018-19, hoping to earn in dollars and build a prosperous life. The birth of their son in the US gave them a sense of security since the child would be a US citizen by default. However, their hopes were crushed when US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities ordered their deportation.
“The couple had taken a Rs 75 lakh loan to reach the US. They repaid part of it but still owe Rs 40 lakh to loan sharks. Now, they are overwhelmed with fear and despair, constantly threatening to end their lives,” said a relative, on condition of anonymity. “What hit them hardest was the deportation of their US-born child. They had believed his birth would protect them.”
Kanu Patel, whose daughter is among the deportees, said she had left for Europe with friends on a vacation a month ago.
“I have no idea what her plans were after reaching Europe. The last time we spoke was on Jan 14. We don’t know how she ended up in the US,” said Patel, a resident of Chandranagar-Dabhla village in Mehsana district.
Another deportee is from Luna village in Vadodara district. Her uncle, Pravin Patel, told reporters that she had travelled to the US a month ago.
“She lives nearby in the same village. She got married a year ago and left for the US last month. We only know she has been deported, but we don’t know the reason,” he said.