Mass Deportation from U.S.: Over 1,700 Indians Sent Back, Punjab Tops the List
New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): In a sharp spike this year, the United States has deported 1,703 Indian citizens back to India in just the first seven months of 2025, including 141 women, according to a written reply in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.
Between 2020 and 2024, the total number of Indians deported from the U.S. stood at 5,541. But by July 22 this year alone, the figure had already reached over 1,700. The majority of those deported in 2025 came from Punjab (620), Haryana (604), Gujarat (245), and Jammu & Kashmir (10), while 6 individuals could not be identified by state.
The minister also revealed the specific modes of deportation used by U.S. authorities:
In February, 333 individuals were flown out on U.S. military aircraft.
In March, 231 deportees were sent via ICE-chartered planes.
In July, 300 more were repatriated on aircraft operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
An additional 72 Indians returned from Panama via commercial flights, and 767 others were deported in smaller groups through various passenger flights.
Data from the UK also showed a surge, with 131 Indians sent back in 2025 so far, compared to 311 deportations between 2020 and 2024. However, the ministry acknowledged that deportation figures from the UK may sometimes include individuals with valid documents due to procedural errors.
In response to a question by DMK MP Kanimozhi, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that India is in ongoing dialogue with the U.S. government to ensure the human rights and dignity of deported citizens are upheld. Concerns have been raised especially regarding the use of shackles on women and minors, disrespect toward religious symbols like turbans, and dietary requirements of deportees. The government confirmed that no formal complaints of mistreatment have been received since February 5, 2025.