MEA reveals 1,080 Indians deported from US since Trump's takeover in January 2025

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday (May 29) said that 1,080 Indians have been deported from the United States since President Donald Trump came into power in January 2025. It added that India has close cooperation with the US on migration issues, especially the deportation of illegal Indian nationals.

“We have close cooperation between India and the United States on migration issues, on deportation of Indian nationals who are either in illegal status there or who travel illegally; we take them back once we receive details about them,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during the weekly briefing.

He added, “The update on the numbers is that since January of 2025, we have some 1080 Indians who have come back or who have been deported from the United States. Of these, around 62 per cent have come on commercial flights.”

Jaiswal also highlighted that India is aware of reports suggesting updated guidelines issued by the US government regarding Student and Exchange Visitor visa applicants.

The MEA spokesperson stated that the welfare of Indian students abroad remains of “utmost priority” to the government and India will continue to follow further developments in the matter.

“While we note that issuance of a visa is a sovereign function, we hope that the application of Indian students will be considered a merit, and they will be able to join their academic programs on time,” Jaiswal said.

Trump administration pauses student visa appointments

On Wednesday (May 28), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a memo ordering US embassies and consular offices to stop scheduling new appointments for student visas “until further guidance is issued”, as it gears up to expand social media screenings for applicants, reported Politico.

“Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor … visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued [separate telegram], which we anticipate in the coming days,” read the cable.