- Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Immigration experts claim these children are being used as part of a broader strategy by families to secure residence in the US
By: India Weekly
THE US Customs and Border Protection have come across an increasing trend of young Indian children being found alone, without documents or guardians, on its borders with Mexico and Canada.
These fear-stricken children, as young as six, carry a small piece of paper with their parents’ names and contact details.
Immigration experts claim these children are being used as part of a broader strategy by families to secure residence in the US, according to Times of India.
The abandonment of children at the borders has also raised concerns about exploitation and human trafficking.
According to US Customs and Border Protection data, between October 2024 and February 2025, 77 unaccompanied Indian minors were apprehended at the US borders.
While most were found at the border with Mexico, some were picked up while braving the harsh weather conditions on the Canada border.
Since 2022, 1,656 unaccompanied Indian minors have been apprehended on the US borders, the report points out.
In many of these cases, the parents reach the US illegally and then send their children with other illegal immigrants to the US.
When these children get caught at the borders, they seek refuge for themselves and the minors on humanitarian grounds.
In some cases, parents send their children ahead, using their presence as a reason to apply for asylum later.
The trend appears to be prevalent among those hailing from rural Gujarat, especially in the villages of Mahesana district, the daily added.
The Trump administration’s tough stance against illegal migration could put these children in jeopardy and face deportation or criminal charges.
Over the past few months, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have been seeking out unaccompanied immigrant children across the country, to deport them or pursue criminal cases against them or adult sponsors sheltering them, The Guardian reports.
