New Delhi: Since the beginning of this year, 2,790 Indian nationals living illegally in the US have returned home, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
Sharing the figures at his weekly press conference, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that these individuals were “living there illegally without fulfilling the criteria”.
“Since January this year, when we deported, we have more than 2,790 Indian nationals who did not meet the criteria. They were living there illegally. We have verified their credentials, their nationality. And they have returned,” Jaiswal said. “This is the situation till yesterday, that is, October 30,” Jaiswal said.
Jaiswal clarified that each case is reviewed to confirm the Indian nationality of the person before repatriation. “We have verified their credentials and nationality before they are returned,” he said, stressing that the deportations follow the legal and diplomatic procedures established between Indian and US authorities.
The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson also responded to questions about deportations from the United Kingdom, saying that around 100 Indian nationals have been repatriated this year after due verification.
“Around 100 Indian nationals deported from the UK this year have returned to the country,” Jaiswal said.
The number of Indian nationals trying to enter the US illegally has fallen sharply, reaching its lowest level in four years, according to data released by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Between October 2024 and September 2025, US authorities arrested 34,146 Indians who tried to enter the country without permission. This is a 62 percent drop from the 90,415 arrests recorded in the previous fiscal year.