As authorities review the case, Muskan’s plea underscores the financial and emotional toll deportation has taken on students and their families, who invest heavily in international education for better opportunities.
A 21-year-old woman from Punjab’s Ludhiana district, who was among the 104 individuals deported from the United States, has urged the Indian government to assist her in returning to the United Kingdom to complete her studies, reported indianexpress.com.
Muskan, a resident of Jagraon, was pursuing a three-year business management course at CU College, London, and had traveled to the UK on a study visa in January last year.
Muskan claims she was legally in Mexico when she and a group of friends were detained by US authorities at the Tijuana border. “We never attempted to enter the US illegally. We had traveled to Mexico legally and were at the border when the police stopped us, saying that US authorities would take us away. I still have a valid study visa for the UK, so why was I deported to India?” she questioned.
According to Muskan, she and her friends were transported to a detention center, where they spent ten days. “They did not ask us anything apart from checking our passports. We were a group of at least 40 people. We had only gone to Mexico for a holiday,” she insisted. However, reports suggest that she had traveled to Mexico via the Bahamas with the intention of crossing into the US.
Jagraon MLA Sarvjit Kaur Manuke has also urged authorities to assist Muskan in resuming her education. “The family is in debt, and it is crucial for her to complete her studies so that she can secure her future and support her family,” she stated.
The young student also expressed shock and distress over the sudden deportation. “We were never informed that we were being sent to India. There was no misbehavior from the authorities, but they didn’t tell us where we were going. It was only when the plane landed in Amritsar that I realized we were in India. That’s when I called my parents,” she recalled.
Family Struggles with Debt
Like many deported individuals, Muskan’s family had taken on significant financial burdens to support her education abroad. “My family took a loan of Rs 15 lakh, along with smaller loans from relatives and friends, to send me to the UK. I hope the government understands our financial situation and allows me to return to complete my studies,” she pleaded. Her father, who runs a small eatery in Jagraon, echoed her concerns, stating that the family was unaware of her deportation until she called from Amritsar airport.
Now facing uncertainty about her ability to return, Muskan fears her education and future career are at risk. “I am being told that I won’t be allowed to fly to the UK or anywhere else. My two-year course is still pending. I appeal to the government to help me return so that my future is not ruined.”
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