The United States deported more than 1,100 Indian nationals between October 2023 and September 2024, citing a need to discourage illegal migration and the exploitative practices of unauthorized travel agencies, according to Royce Murray, Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). An additional 100 Indians were deported via charter flight on October 22, 2024, underscoring the increasing collaboration between the U.S. and India on immigration issues. This recent charter, part of a growing trend in deportations, included both men and women. While many deportees were sent via charter, DHS also used commercial flights to handle individual cases, and India’s government cooperated with logistical needs.
In 2023, record-high numbers of illegal entries into the U.S., largely from the southern border, led to 3.2 million encounters. This included individuals on the terrorist watchlist, highlighting ongoing security concerns. U.S. authorities attribute part of the rise to human smuggling networks that provide misinformation to migrants from regions like India and other non-American countries. These networks have particularly targeted students, luring them with false promises regarding student visas, posing significant risks to young migrants.
Murray emphasised the need for continued public awareness campaigns to inform individuals about legal migration avenues and the risks of using irregular pathways, which can lead to deportation or exploitation. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has also been tightening operations along the Southwest border, recording over 269,000 migrant encounters in September alone. The U.S. aims to address these challenges by strengthening relations with India, a key partner in countering irregular migration, which remains a shared priority between both nations.
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For further context, the U.S. has also grappled with significant domestic challenges, including more than 35,000 apprehensions of migrants with criminal records and the ongoing flow of fentanyl, underscoring the multifaceted nature of U.S. immigration enforcement policy in FY2023.
