New Delhi: The Indian government has confirmed that at least 2,790 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States since January of this year for residing in the country illegally. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that these individuals did not meet the necessary criteria for legal stay in the U.S. and have been repatriated to India after due verification of their credentials and nationality.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the matter during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday, October 30, 2025. He explained that the deportations were carried out after Indian authorities thoroughly checked and confirmed the nationality of the individuals. "Since January of this year, we've had around 2,790-plus Indian nationals who did not meet the criteria. They were illegally staying there, and we verified their credentials, their nationality, and they have returned," Jaiswal stated. He confirmed that this was the status as of October 29, 2025.
In response to a query regarding the deportation of Indian nationals from other countries, Jaiswal added that approximately 100 Indian nationals have also been deported from the United Kingdom this year. Similar to the process followed with the U.S. deportations, these individuals were sent back to India after their nationality was verified.
The deportations from the U.S. come amidst increased scrutiny of illegal immigration in the country. According to data from the Department of Homeland Security, over half a million illegal immigrants have been deported since 2021. The data also indicates that more than 2 million illegal immigrants have left the United States, with over 1.6 million having "voluntarily self-deported".
India has consistently maintained its stance against illegal migration while simultaneously emphasizing its commitment to facilitating legal migration pathways. Jaiswal reiterated this position, stating, "We want to promote legal pathways of migration. At the same time, India stands against illegal migration".
The MEA has previously stated that whenever an individual without legal status in a foreign country is identified as potentially being an Indian national, the government conducts thorough background checks to confirm their nationality before taking them back. This process has been consistently followed in the deportations from the United States.
