US deported 15,756 illegal immigrants in 15 years: What data reveals

The deportation of over 100 Indian nationals from the United States has sparked controversy, with the issue dominating discussions in the ongoing Budget session of Parliament. The opposition questioned the government on why the deportees were "handcuffed and chained". To this, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded on Thursday that such measures were part of US "protocol" and not a new practice. He also shared data on the number of deported Indians over the past 15 years, revealing that 15,756 illegal Indian immigrants have been sent back from the US since 2009.

 

"The process of deportation (by the US) is not new... it has been there for years. This is not a policy applicable to only one country. Our focus should be on the crackdown on illegal migrants... We are engaging with the US to ensure deportees are not mistreated," said Jaishankar in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

 

 

Number of deportations by year

 

According to data shared by Jaishankar, the highest number of deportations occurred in 2019, when 2,042 Indians were sent back. The numbers for other years are as follows:

 

2009: 734

2010: 799

2011: 597

2012: 530

2013: 515

2014: 591

2015: 708

2016: 1,303

2017: 1,024

2018: 1,180

2019: 2,042

2020: 1,889

2021: 805

2022: 862

2023: 617

2024: 1,368

2025 (until February 5): 104

 

A US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amritsar on Wednesday. This was the first batch of deportations under the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on illegal migration. The group included:

 

33 individuals from Haryana

33 from Gujarat

30 from Punjab

3 from Maharashtra

3 from Uttar Pradesh

2 from Chandigarh

 

Many of these migrants had paid large sums of money, often through loans, to smugglers who promised them safe passage to the US. Instead, they faced gruelling journeys across multiple countries before being apprehended, according to media reports.

 

The deportations have led to sharp criticism from opposition MPs, who attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for not acting to prevent the mistreatment of Indian deportees.

 

"We are the fifth-largest economy in the world... when countries like Colombia, which don’t even figure in the top 10, can send an aircraft and bring their citizens back with dignity, what stops our government from sending an aircraft? We don’t have a shortage of these," said Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale.

 

Number of undocumented Indians in the US

 

The US has identified around 18,000 Indian nationals it believes entered the country illegally, but estimates on the total number of undocumented Indians vary widely:

 

Pew Research Center: 725,000 as of 2022, making Indians the third-largest undocumented group after Mexico and El Salvador

Migration Policy Institute (MPI): 375,000, placing India fifth among source countries

 

H-1B visa concerns

 

Concerns have also arisen over possible restrictions on H-1B visas, which allow skilled foreign workers to be employed in the US. To which Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh responded in a written reply that "mobility of skilled Indian professionals has contributed to the mutual benefit of India and the United States, especially in the technology and innovation sectors. According to USCIS, for the period October 2022 to September 2023, Indian nationals received 72.3 per cent of all H-1B visas issued."

 

Singh said, "The government is "closely engaged with the US administration" on all matters related to H-1B visas".

 

The programme has faced restrictions in the past. In 2017, Donald Trump introduced stricter scrutiny, leading to rejection rates reaching 24% in 2018, compared to 5-8% during Barack Obama's presidency and 2-4% under Joe Biden.

 

Trump’s policies sought to reduce outsourcing and prevent underpayment of H-1B workers. Employers had to provide detailed evidence that roles required specialised skills and that salaries met local standards. These measures led to legal challenges, and some policies were later reversed.

 

Despite the changes, approval numbers under Biden have remained similar to those under Trump. Between 2018 and 2020, 1.1 million applications were approved, including 343,000 new applicants. Between 2021 and 2023, the numbers rose to 1.2 million approvals, with 375,000 new applicants.

 

USCIS data shows a sharp rise in H-1B applications, with 758,994 applications submitted in 2024, up from 474,421 in 2023.

 

Trump's current stance on H-1B visas

 

With Trump back in the White House for a second term, there are concerns he may impose further restrictions. He has already signed an executive order ending birthright citizenship for children of those without legal residency, including H-1B holders. The policy has been blocked by US courts, but Trump has appealed the decision.

 

However, he has also spoken positively about the visa programme. “I like both sides of the argument, but I also like very competent people coming into our country, even if that involves them training and helping other people who may not have the qualifications they do,” he said on Tuesday. “But I don’t want to stop — and I’m not just talking about engineers, I’m talking about people at all levels.”

 

"The US economy relies on H-1B visas to address skilled labour shortages, particularly in technology, engineering, and healthcare, where domestic supply is insufficient," said Jidesh Kumar, managing partner at King Stubb & Kasiva.

 

"Tech giants and startups alike depend on H-1B professionals for cutting-edge research and product development. Many also go on to become entrepreneurs, creating jobs and boosting the economy," he added.

 

"Restricting the programme could force top global talent to seek opportunities in countries like Canada or the UK, potentially undermining the US’s position as a leader in innovation and economic growth," he said.