Trump administration targets over 18,000 illegal Indian immigrants, begins deportations via military planes

The United States has started deporting illegal Indian immigrants using military aircraft as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on undocumented migration. A US official confirmed that a C-17 military plane carrying deported migrants had left for India and was expected to arrive within 24 hours, Reuters reported on Monday.  

The Pentagon has begun the process of deporting over 5,000 migrants detained in Texas and California. So far, military flights have transported deportees to Guatemala, Peru, and Honduras. These flights come at a steep cost, with a recent deportation to Guatemala estimated to cost around $4,675 per migrant, as per the TOI report. 

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India has signalled its willingness to work with the Trump administration in identifying and repatriating its citizens who are residing illegally in the US. This move is seen as an effort to maintain strong diplomatic and trade relations with Washington.  

According to reports, US and Indian officials have identified approximately 18,000 Indian migrants for deportation. However, the actual number could be much higher, as authorities are still verifying data. While Indian migrants make up only about 3% of all illegal crossings into the US in fiscal year 2024, their numbers have been steadily increasing.  

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A notable trend is the rising number of Indian migrants crossing the northern US border, where they now account for nearly 25% of all illegal crossings—the highest among those detained at that entry point. In contrast, migrants from Latin American countries such as Mexico, Venezuela, and Guatemala make up a much larger share of unlawful crossings.  

Although the exact number of undocumented Indians in the US remains uncertain, a 2022 Department of Homeland Security report estimated that around 220,000 unauthorized Indian immigrants were residing in the country.