New Delhi, Oct 31 — Over 2,790 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States this year for illegally residing in the country, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing the weekly media briefing, said the deportations were carried out after thorough verification of each individual’s credentials and nationality by Indian authorities.
“Since January this year, we have had over 2,790 Indian nationals who did not meet the criteria. They were illegally staying there, and we verified their credentials and nationality. This is the status as of yesterday,” Jaiswal said.
Verification Before Repatriation
Jaiswal explained that all deportations occur only after the government confirms the nationality of individuals identified by host countries as undocumented migrants.
“Whenever a person without legal status is referred to us with documents claiming Indian nationality, we conduct background checks, confirm nationality, and then facilitate repatriation. This has been the process in all deportations from the United States,” he added.
Deportations from Other Countries
Responding to a query about similar actions by other nations, the MEA spokesperson revealed that around 100 Indian nationals have also been deported from the United Kingdom this year following similar verification procedures.
India, he said, continues to oppose illegal migration while advocating for safe, legal, and regulated channels of overseas movement.
“We want to promote legal pathways of migration. At the same time, India stands firmly against illegal migration,” Jaiswal reiterated.
Background and Previous Figures
In a statement made last month, Jaiswal had disclosed that between January and September 2025, a total of 2,417 Indian nationals had already been deported or repatriated from the US.
Among the recent cases was Harjit Kaur, a 73 year old Sikh woman from Punjab, who was deported in September after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials during a routine check-in in California.
India’s Policy on Illegal Migration
The Indian government has maintained a consistent position against illegal migration, asserting that such movements violate both domestic and international law while exposing individuals to exploitation and unsafe conditions.
Officials said India remains committed to cooperating with partner countries to address the issue through information sharing, documentation verification, and humanitarian repatriation procedures.