Over 3,000 Indian nationals deported by US in 2025; nearly 19,000 since 2009: Govt in Parliament
Jaishankar said the Ministry of External Affairs remains engaged with the US side to ensure the humane treatment of deportees during US ICE/CBP deportation operations.
A total of 18,822 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States since 2009, including 3,258 since January 2025, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. In a written reply, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that He said 617 Indians had been deported in 2023, and as many as 1,368 were deported in 2024.
"Since 2009, a total of 18,822 Indian nationals have been deported to India," the Minister informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.
"Since January 2025, a total of 3,258 Indian nationals have been deported by the United States to India. Of these, 2,032 individuals (approximately 62.3 per cent) were deported on regular commercial flights, while the remaining 1,226 (37.6 per cent) arrived on US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operated charter flights," he said.
Year-wise details are:
| Year | No. of Deportees |
| 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 (till 28 Nov) | 3,258 |
| Total | 18,822 |
India engaged with US to ensure humane treatment of deportees
Jaishankar further said the Ministry of External Affairs remains engaged with the US side to ensure the humane treatment of deportees during US ICE/CBP deportation operations.
"The Ministry has strongly registered its concerns with the US authorities on the treatment of deportees, particularly with respect to the use of shackles, especially on women and children, the minister told the house in his written reply. No instance of shackling of women and children has been brought to the notice of this Ministry since the 5th February deportation flight," he said.
Jaishankar said the US authorities have conveyed that the Restraining Policy for US deportation flights is in place since 19 November 2012 as part of the Standard Operating Procedure of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
"They have also conveyed that their policy of shackling deportees is followed to ensure the safety and security of all passengers on these flights. In the past, they claim that there have been instances of violence by deportees against fellow deportees and supporting crew members on such deportation flights. While women and minors are generally not shackled, the flight officer in charge of a deportation flight, in the interest of the safety of the mission, has the final say on the matter."
"It is also pertinent to note that wanted criminals and gangsters who have been accused of terrorism, homicide, attempt to murder, extortion, etc., have also been removed on these deportation flights. In India’s case, absconding criminals such as Lakhwinder Singh and Anmol Bishnoi, against whom lookout notices and arrest warrants have been issued by our law enforcement agencies, have been brought back on such deportation flights," Jaishankar said in his written reply.
Based on the accounts and testimonies given by returning deportees, he said the Central and respective State Governments along with the relevant law enforcement agencies, have registered a number of cases, and investigations as well as actions are ongoing against several illegal immigration agents, criminal facilitators and human trafficking syndicates that run these rackets.
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