US Uses Taj Mahal to Offer Free Flights, Cash for Indians to Return Home

• US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launches campaign offering free flights and $2,600 cash to undocumented migrants for voluntary return.
• The campaign uses visuals of the Taj Mahal to specifically target Indian nationals, one of the largest undocumented communities in the US.
• Officials present the scheme as a humane and cost-effective alternative to forced deportation, which costs $18,000 per migrant compared to $5,000 for voluntary exit.
• Over 700,000 Indians are estimated to be living in the US without legal status, with irregular migration routes on the rise.
• The offer presents a difficult choice for undocumented migrants: accept financial aid and leave, or risk detention, deportation, and long-term entry bans.