Fact-check: Is the viral image of Indian illegal immigrants being deported in handcuffs and chains true?

A US Air Force aircraft carrying 104 deported Indians landed in Punjab’s Amritsar on Wednesday. Soon, images of people sitting in handcuffs started making rounds on social media. This was the first deportation to India during the second term of US President Donald Trump.

However, all eyes were drawn to a picture of the deported immigrants being handcuffed and having their legs chained while the US deported them.

On social media, while sharing the image, multiple social media accounts claimed that illegal Indian migrants have been handcuffed and their legs are chained while being deported by the US.

Fact Check

On investigation, we found the claim to be false. A reverse image search revealed that the photo has been online since late January 2025, when it appeared in several news reports about a deportation flight to Guatemala. The image was found in media reports, such as The Independent and Clinton Herald, dated January 30, 2025. The reports informed that a U.S. military plane with migrants bound at their wrists and ankles left Texas bound for Guatemala carrying 80 deportees, eight of them children.

Furthermore, we also found the photo to be available on the stock photo website alamy.com where it is credited to “AP Photo/Christian Chaves” and described as: Migrants wearing face masks and shackles on their hands and feet sit on a military aircraft at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX., Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, awaiting their deportation to Guatemala. (AP Photo/Christian Chavez)

Conclusion

Thus, from the fact check, it is evident that the picture does not show Indian migrants being handcuffed, but it is of Migrants deported to Guatemala.

DFRAC Analysis: Misleading