From snakes, crocodiles to trimming beard, U.S. deportee from Punjab recalls perilous ‘donkey route’

Mandeep Singh's harrowing journey to the U.S. via the 'donkey route' ends in deportation back to India.

Promised a legal entry into the U.S., Mandeep Singh’s life was at risk after he was made to deal with crocodiles and snakes, trim his beard despite being a Sikh, and having to go without food for days.

But his dream to secure a better life for his family in Amritsar came crashing down on January 27 when he was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol while trying to sneak into America via Tijuana in Mexico.

Mandeep was part of 112 Indians to be deported by a U.S. military aircraft that landed at the Amritsar airport late on Sunday (February 16, 2025), the third such batch of Indians to be sent back amid a crackdown by the U.S. President Donald Trump administration against illegal immigrants.

The deportees’ arrived within 24 hours of a U.S. military aircraft bringing back a batch of 116 Indians living illegally in that country.

Instead of a legal entry as promised, Mandeep’s travel agent put him on the ‘donkey route’ — an illegal and risky pathway used by migrants to enter the U.S.

Speaking to reporters in Amritsar, Mandeep (38) showed several videos of the perilous journey his travel agent and sub-agents put him through.

“When I spoke to my agent, he said within one month I will be taken to the U.S. in a legal way,” Mandeep said.