Global Outage Hits ChatGPT Users, Sparking Social Media Complaints

India is facing significant backlash after a video surfaced showing the US Border Patrol deporting 104 Indian migrants while shackled and handcuffed. The footage, shared by USBP Chief Michael W. Banks, depicted the migrants being loaded onto a military transport plane under distressing circumstances. Banks claimed this represented the "farthest deportation flight yet" and served as a warning against illegal crossings into the United States. The migrants, many from Punjab, recounted harrowing experiences of paying agents large sums of money for illegal passage to the US, only to face perilous treks through South America. Jaspal Singh, one deported individual, stated he paid around ₹30 lakh (approximately $36,000) for a failed journey that exposed him to life-threatening situations. In response to the government's handling of the deportations, opposition leaders, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, criticized the inhumane treatment and demanded a parliamentary discussion. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to make a statement on the issue. Sources indicate the Indian government is considering a new law aimed at ensuring migrants' safety.

On February 6, 2025, a US military aircraft transporting 104 illegal immigrants landed in Amritsar, India, marking a significant deportation effort by the Trump administration. Jaspal Singh, one of the deportees, reported that their hands and legs were cuffed throughout the flight and they were only unchained upon arrival. Singh, who had reportedly paid around 30 lakh Indian Rupees (approximately $36,000) to a travel agent for a legal entry into the US, was instead defrauded and forced to undertake an illegal crossing. Singh detailed the treacherous journey that took him through multiple countries in Latin America before he was apprehended by the US Border Patrol. He recounted enduring significant hardships, including a lack of food and constant danger. "If anybody got injured, he was left to die," he stated. Other deportees echoed similar sentiments about their dangerous travels and the disillusionment of dreams for a better future being shattered. The deportees were initially questioned by various local authorities upon their return to ensure their lack of criminal records.

Following executive orders signed by former US President Donald Trump aimed at tightening immigration, many Indians are turning to Hindu temples to pray for successful US visa approvals. The Chamatkari Hanuman temple, known as "Visa Hanuman," located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, has seen a surge in visitors who place their passports before the deity and recite hymns in hopes of divine intervention. According to priest Vijay Bhatt, he has witnessed visa approvals happen swiftly for devotees following rituals. Many believe that obtaining a US visa is critical for upward mobility, as approximately two-thirds of H-1B visa recipients are Indian nationals. However, Trump’s stricter vetting processes have created uncertainty for many aspiring emigrants. At Hyderabad's Chilkur Balaji temple, dubbed the "Visa God" shrine, visitors perform rituals, including barefoot circumambulations, while some even adopt strict dietary restrictions to enhance their chances of receiving a visa. Temple priests assert that they often find that the wishes of distressed applicants indeed come true.