18,000 Indians at risk of deportation under Trump 2.0 administration
The United States is preparing to deport nearly 18,000 undocumented Indian nationals as part of a broader immigration enforcement plan. The move comes just days after President-elect Donald Trump vowed to carry out the largest deportation in American history once he takes office on January 20, 2025. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has prepared a list of some 1.5 million people for deportation, with Indians making up a sizable portion.
ICE data reveals India's high undocumented immigrant population
According to ICE data from November 2024, there are 17,940 Indians among those with final removal orders in the US. India ranks third for its undocumented immigrant population in the US, with around 725,000 people living illegally. Mexico and El Salvador have higher populations of unauthorized immigrants compared to India. On October 22, the US deported a group of undocumented Indians on a chartered flight in coordination with the Indian government.
India labeled 'uncooperative' in deportation process
ICE has marked India "uncooperative" due to delays in confirming the citizenship of deportees. The agency expects foreign governments to conduct interviews, issue travel documents quickly, and accept deportees on commercial or chartered flights. ICE said, "Currently, ICE considers 15 countries to be uncooperative—India, Bhutan, Burma, Cuba...Democratic Republic of the Congo...Eritrea...Ethiopia...Hong Kong...Iran...Laos...Pakistan.... People's Republic of China.... Russia.... Somalia and Venezuela."
Honduras, Guatemala lead in undocumented immigrants
Honduras tops the list of undocumented immigrants in the US with 261,651 people. Guatemala comes second with 253,000 illegal immigrants. China beats India among the Asian countries with nearly 38,000 undocumented people living in the US. Local immigration experts say most undocumented Indians hail from Punjab, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. An average of 90,000 Indians were apprehended trying to cross US borders illegally over the last three financial years.
