MEA says 2,400 Indians deported or repatriated from US since January

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said that over 2,400 Indian nationals have been deported or repatriated from the United States since January this year.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “Since January 2025, a total of 2,417 Indian nationals have been deported or repatriated from the United States. We want to promote legal pathways of migration. India stands firmly against illegal migration.”

Jaiswal emphasized that India seeks to encourage legal migration while discouraging illegal activities that undermine these efforts.

He explained that the government verifies nationality and accepts the return of individuals without legal status once proper documentation is provided.

“Whenever a person without legal status is referred to us with documents, and if there are claims that he or she is an Indian national, we conduct background checks, confirm nationality, and then facilitate their return. This has been the practice with deportations from the United States,” he said.

Jaiswal reiterated on visa fraud and related issues, “We want to promote legal migration from India. Illegal migration undermines our efforts, and we are working to clamp down on it.”

He added that the Government of India has been working closely with state governments to crack down on agents and networks promoting illegal migration. Awareness campaigns are also being conducted.

“We have been issuing regular advisories for our nationals to avoid dubious employment opportunities, particularly in Southeast Asia,” Jaiswal said.