Overview
- The MEA reported 4,840 Indians deported since 2025, including 1,273 returned between January and July 2026, and 414 deported from the U.S. in January–March 2026.
- Official data show deportations from the U.S. rose from 617 in 2023 to 1,368 in 2024 and 2,025 in 2025, signaling a sustained year‑on‑year increase after the change in U.S. enforcement policy.
- U.S. enforcement operations such as May’s Operation Checkmate in Arizona produced new deportation cases, with officials saying about 30 Indians were among those arrested and slated for removal.
- New Delhi says it conducts nationality due diligence before facilitating returns, provides means‑tested legal aid through the Indian Community Welfare Fund, and directs state governments to handle reintegration.
- India is targeting fraudulent recruitment that fuels irregular migration, having flagged 3,505 unregistered agents on the eMigrate portal through October 2025 and issuing advisories and pre‑departure training to deter fake job offers.