MEA told Parliament the US deported 2,025 Indians in 2025 and 414 more in early 2026
Deportations have risen sharply over the past three years, according to government data
India said it is engaging US authorities over detained nationals and providing consular assistance
The United States deported 2,025 Indian nationals in 2025, with 414 already deported in the first quarter of 2026, according to data tabled in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The data, part of a written reply to an unstarred question, showed a sharp increase in deportations from the US over the past three years. In 2023, the US deported 617 Indians, followed by 1,368 in 2024 and 2,025 in 2025.
The information was provided in an annexure to a question on the arrest and deportation of Indian truck drivers in the United States, where Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh responded to queries from Rajya Sabha member Neeraj Dangi.
As per information released by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on June 1, 2026, during the week of May 11–15, 2026, US Border Patrol agents in Arizona arrested 52 individuals during "Operation Checkmate," of whom 36 were driving semi-trucks. The US statement indicated that 30 of these individuals were Indian nationals and that they had been processed in accordance with US federal law and would be deported, the minister said.
"Operation Checkmate" was an enforcement action undertaken by the US authorities, and the Ministry of External Affairs had no prior information regarding the operation, Singh said. However, as soon as reports regarding the detention emerged, the Ministry, through the Embassy of India in Washington, DC, took up the matter with concerned US authorities and sought their names, particulars and other relevant information. The Government of India is awaiting confirmation from the US CBP regarding the identity and particulars of the individuals concerned.
Country-Wise Deportation Data
The annexure also provided data on Indian deportations from other countries. The United Kingdom deported 156 Indians in 2025, followed by Cyprus (164), the United States (2,025), and Germany (44). Smaller numbers were deported from other European countries including France, Italy, Spain, Greece, the Netherlands, and Poland.
In a separate written reply to a question on the detention or deportation of Indians from foreign countries, the Minister of State for External Affairs said the Government of India accords the highest priority to the safety, security, protection and wellbeing of Indian nationals abroad.
"Foreign Governments generally do not share or provide information on illegal stay, apprehension, detention and deportation of Indian nationals. Indian Missions/Posts are contacted by the host Governments only in cases where the nationality verification and issuance of Emergency Certificate (EC) to the deportee are required," the minister said.
The government has established channels to enable Indian nationals abroad to reach out to Indian embassies and consulates through walk-in, email, multilingual 24x7 emergency numbers, WhatsApp, and grievance redressal portals. Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras have been set up in key locations including New Delhi, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Kuala Lumpur to provide guidance and counselling.
The Ministry also issues advisories through the eMigrate portal and social media about the perils of fake job rackets and ways to prevent illegal emigration through unauthorised recruitment agents, the minister said.
