Videos and images of illegal immigrants from Guatemala while being deported are viral on social media with claims that they are Indians who were deported from the US.
BOOM found that these images show Guatemalan immigrants, not Indians. The first group of Indians deported from the US arrived in Amritsar on Wednesday. They were brought back on a US military plane, the C-17, which landed at Sri Guru Ramdas International Airport at 2 pm.
According to media reports all the deported individuals were handcuffed and under the supervision of the US Army. The group consisted of 33 people from Gujarat, 34 from Haryana, 30 from Punjab, 3 from Maharashtra, 2 each from Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh, and a few children aged 8 to 10 years.
Sharing a video on X, Assistant to the US President and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote, “Deportation flights have begun. President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences.”
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Another account suggested that India should follow America's example and expel Rohingyas and Bangladeshis living in the country.
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Fact-check
BOOM ran a reverse image search on all the visuals and found that the pictures depict immigrants deported from the United States to Guatemala, not India.
Screenshots from video are Guatemalan immigrants
BOOM found a YouTube short by Military Times Online that contained footage of the viral video. The video, uploaded on January 29, 2025, described the military aircraft as conducting its first-ever immigrant deportation flights.
When we searched for relevant keywords on YouTube, we found a video report by ABC News from January 25, 2025. The report stated that the US is using military aircraft for the first time to deport illegal immigrants.
It also mentioned that photos from the first deportation flight had surfaced, showing immigrants being sent from Fort Bliss in Texas to Guatemala. The footage in the report, which is similar to the viral video, was credited to the US Department of Defense (DOD).
The viral photo is of a Guatemalan citizen
We ran a reverse image search to verify the viral picture, and found a media report from Independent.co.uk dated January 30, 2025.
The news report said that a US military plane heading to Guatemala was carrying 80 immigrants with their hands and feet tied. The flight had departed from the Fort Bliss army base. The report also mentioned that under the Trump administration, military aircraft have been used to deport immigrants to Guatemala, Ecuador, and Colombia. The picture was credited to the news agency The Associated Press.
We also found this photo on the website of 'The Associated Press', with the caption saying, ‘Migrants wearing face masks and shackles on their hands and feet sit on a military aircraft at Fort Bliss in El Paso.”
Apart from this, we also found that the plane carrying Indian illegal immigrants departed from San Antonio city of Texas for Amritsar on February 4, 2025 while the viral photos and videos are from Al Paso city of Texas.
However, it has also been reported that the hands and feet of Indians brought from the US were tied with handcuffs and chains.
Indian immigrants sent captive in handcuffs
On February 6, US Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Bank shared a video of illegal Indian immigrants, stating, "USBP and its partners successfully deported illegal aliens back to India, which was the longest deportation flight ever using military transport."
He emphasised their commitment to enforcing immigration laws and ensuring swift deportations.
The visual shared by the Border Patrol Chief shows the night time, while the viral video was filmed during the day.
Speaking to BOOM, a local journalist from Punjab, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the Indian immigrants were also handcuffed and had their legs tied throughout the journey.
Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s statement
On Thursday, Union Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the deportation issue in Parliament, stating that it is the responsibility of the country to send back illegal immigrants.
Regarding the controversy over handcuffs, Jaishankar explained that the use of restraints is part of the standard operating procedure for deportation by plane. He also pointed out that deportations have not occurred for the first time and cited statistics from the past 15 years to support his statement.