The United States has deported 39 Bangladeshi nationals, including one woman, as part of an intensified crackdown on undocumented immigrants. The group arrived in Dhaka on Saturday aboard a US C-17 military aircraft, according to officials at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Local media outlet Dhaka Tribune reported that some deportees alleged they were handcuffed throughout the flight. “We’re not criminals—we sought asylum but were treated like dangerous offenders,” one individual told the publication.

Shariful Hasan, Associate Director of the BRAC Migration Programme, said many deportees had spent up to Tk 30–40 lakh by selling family assets or borrowing money to reach the US via irregular routes through Mexico and South America. Upon arrival, they had applied for asylum but were denied by immigration officials and courts, leading to their deportation.

This action follows US President Donald Trump’s directives in June to ramp up mass deportations. He instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to target undocumented migrants across major American cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

In a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump praised ICE officers for carrying out what he termed the “largest mass deportation of illegal aliens in history.” He claimed the effort was being obstructed by “radical Democrat politicians” but vowed to push ahead.

The deportation comes amid ongoing protests across the US against the administration’s immigration policies. Despite criticism, Trump has vowed to expand the operations, saying ICE will continue its mission “with strength, determination, and courage.”