At one time, thousands of Indians risked entering the United States illegally in hopes of a better life. Crossing the borders of many countries spending crores and risking their lives was also a regular occurrence. However, this trend has seen a major setback this year. According to the latest data from the US Border Patrol, the number of Indians trying to enter the US illegally has dropped by 69 percent.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported a total of 20,614 ‘accounts’ or encounters with Indian nationals at the border in the current fiscal year up to May 2026. This compares with about 67,000 in FY2023, the highest in several years.
The most significant declines were seen along the southwestern border adjacent to Mexico. There, the number of encounters between border guards and Indians fell to just 417, a nearly 99 percent decrease compared to attempts at Indian immigration on the northern border with Canada to 91 percent. 2,250 cases have been recorded in the current financial year.
Analysts say one reason for the dramatic decline is the tough immigration policies of US President Donald Trump’s second-term administration. Since taking office, the US administration has launched a crackdown on illegal immigrants. Besides strengthening border security, expedited deportation policy has also been implemented. It has a direct impact on Indians.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs in June, 1,076 Indians were deported from the US to India in the first half of this year, with over 3,500 Indians deported throughout 2025, the highest in the last 16 years. In February last year, US aircraft returned Indian exiles to Amritsar and Delhi in multiple phases. At the time, international controversy arose over the alleged return of handcuffed and shackled women and children.
According to immigration experts, it is not only the draconian administrative system but also the huge financial risk that discourages Indians. According to NixScan Center immigration expert Gilbert Guerra, traveling illegally from India to the US is expensive. But now the risk of detection and deportation is so high that many no longer consider the investment worthwhile.
According to him, it is not easy for Indians to repeatedly try to cross the border like citizens of some Central American countries. Because illegal travel costs lakhs to crores of rupees. Makes it very difficult to deal with damage in case of failure.
Some experts feel that the tendency of Indians to take the illegal route to the American Dream has decreased significantly. However, the US still remains one of the top destinations for Indians in terms of higher education, employment and migration of skilled professionals through legal channels.