"1,076 Indians deported from US in 2026": MEA
New Delhi, June 5
Amidst a sustained focus on secure and orderly international travel, the Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that India and the United States are engaged in continuous high-level dialogue regarding migration and mobility.
Official Spokesperson for the MEA, Randhir Jaiswal, addressed the media on Friday, revealing that 1,076 Indian nationals have been deported from the US in the current year, following the deportation of 3,567 individuals throughout 2025.
"I can share that 1,076 Indian nationals have been deported from the US so far this year. Last year, that number was 3,567," he said.
The ongoing talks between New Delhi and Washington are centred on a dual objective: facilitating legitimate professional and educational migration while effectively curbing the rise in illegal border crossings and undocumented status.
"We are in continuous dialogue with the US regarding migration and mobility to ensure that legal migration is facilitated while illegal migration is effectively curbed," Jaiswal stated during the weekly briefing.
The briefing coincided with recent high-profile enforcement actions by US authorities. On May 21, 2026, ICE Los Angeles arrested a 26-year-old Indian national, Parminderpal Singh, who was subsequently placed in custody pending removal proceedings.
According to official reports, Singh's criminal history in the US included charges of grand theft, vehicle theft, vandalism, and trespassing.
In a post on X, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Los Angeles said, "ICE Los Angeles arrested Parminderpal Singh, 26, of India, on May 21. Singh's criminal record includes vehicle theft, grand theft, trespassing, and vandalism. He is in ICE custody pending removal."
According to the official statement, Singh has a prior criminal record that includes vehicle theft, grand theft, trespassing, and vandalism. ICE stated that he is currently in custody pending removal proceedings.
During the weekly media briefing in September 2025, Jaiswal reiterated India's firm stance against illegal migration, emphasising the commitment to promoting legal pathways for migration.
He stated that India aims to encourage legal migration, discouraging illegal activities that undermine these efforts. He added that the government verifies nationality and takes back individuals without legal status upon receiving proper documentation.
"Whenever there is a person who does not possess a legal status in any country, and he or she is referred to us with documents, and if there are claims that he or she is an Indian national, we do the background check, confirm the nationality and then we are in a position to take them back... This has been happening with deportations from the United States," said Jaiswal.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Sad to see these numbers, but the MEA is handling it transparently. The drop from 3,567 last year to 1,076 so far this year shows some progress. Parminderpal Singh's case with vehicle theft and vandalism is troubling — such actions give all Indians a bad name abroad. We need better awareness in villages about legal pathways.
Good that India is cooperating with the US. But why are so many Indians risking illegal immigration? The government should run campaigns in Punjab and Gujarat about the harsh realities abroad. Also, the verification process for taking them back seems efficient — at least we're following proper protocol. 👏
I appreciate the MEA's focus on legal migration, but 1,076 deportations in just 6 months is still high. The US shouldn't only target Indians — many nationalities cross illegally. However, those with criminal records like Singh deserve removal. India needs to strengthen its own job market so people don't take such risks. 🇮🇳
Deportations are a fact of life when visas are violated. The MEA statement is clear — they verify nationality and take back those without legal status. That's proper diplomacy. What's worrying is the criminal element like Singh. We need stricter checks before issuing passports in cases of dubious travel history. 😕
The number seems high, but let's be realistic — the US has a massive immigration system. India doing background checks and taking back citizens is standard practice. However, I hope the government also helps returnees reintegrate, especially those deported for minor visa issues.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.