Highlights:
- Detention of undocumented Indian migrants dropped 62 per cent in one year.
- Only 34,146 Indians were caught between October 2024 and September 2025.
- Lowest number of detentions recorded since 2022.
- Majority caught along Canada and Mexico borders.
Over 2,400 Indians deported since January 2025.The number of undocumented Indian migrants detained while attempting to enter the US has witnessed a sharp decline this year. According to the latest data from the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), 34,146 Indians were caught between October 2024 and September 2025, a significant 62 per cent drop from the previous year when 90,415 Indians were detained.
Overall, the number of persons caught attempting to enter the US fell to about 6.9 lakh, a steep decline from more than 29 lakh last year. This marks the lowest number of Indian detentions in four years, signaling a major shift in migration trends.
Lowest numbers since 2022
CBP data revealed that this year’s figure is the lowest since 2022. Between October 2021 and September 2022, over 63,927 Indians were intercepted, while the following year saw a spike to 96,900. The recent drop suggests that stricter border policies and heightened deportation measures may be deterring illegal crossings.
Among the 34,146 Indians detained this year, 31,480 were single adults, 2,522 were part of family groups, and 91 were unaccompanied minors, indicating that the majority of migrants were adults attempting to cross individually.
Preferred routes: Canada and Mexico borders
The data further highlighted that most undocumented Indian migrants attempted to enter through the northern border with Canada rather than the southern border with Mexico. Around 14,054 Indians were caught crossing from Canada, compared to 5,047 from Mexico, suggesting a growing preference for northern routes due to tighter surveillance at the US-Mexico border.
In total, 6.9 lakh undocumented migrants from various countries, including Mexico, China, and Colombia were detained this year, showing a significant decline across nationalities.
Impact of stricter immigration policies
The decline coincides with the Donald Trump administration’s move to tighten immigration regulations since January. In some instances, the US government used military aircraft to repatriate undocumented migrants.
The policy has drawn criticism in India, especially after videos emerged showing deportees shackled on US military planes. Responding to concerns, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar clarified in the Rajya Sabha that “the persons had been shackled in keeping with past procedure.”
Deportations and crackdowns on agencies
In September, the Indian government confirmed that 2,417 Indians had been deported from the US since January. Furthermore, in May, the US Department of State announced visa restrictions on individuals working with Indian travel agencies found to be “knowingly facilitating illegal immigration” to the country.
According to a 2022 report by the US Department of Homeland Security, an estimated 2.2 lakh undocumented Indian migrants were living in the United States—a figure that may now see a downward trend amid tightened border enforcement.
