An increasing number of Indian children have been found ‘abandoned’ at the US borders in recent years by families hoping to score green cards. The horrifying trend has gained momentum in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic — with data showing that at least 77 unaccompanied minors were apprehended by border security between October 2024 and February 2025. Meanwhile the Donald Trump-administration is reportedly planning to seek out unaccompanied immigrant children to deport or prosecute them amid a sweeping crackdown on immigration.
According to a Times of India report, several Gujarati families have admitted to following this route of deliberate abandonment in order to secure green cards. A notable case cited by the publication pertained to a couple from Mehsana where the father (a lawyer) shared how he and his wife had moved to Atlanta illegally amid the pandemic — leaving their two-year-old son in India. Three years later the toddler was brought to the US by a cousin (also travelling illegally) and abandoned at the border near Texas with only a note outlining contact details.
In most cases the children are somewhat older — ranging from 12 to 17 — and find themselves abandoned at the US-Mexico border. Official data indicates that 22 children (out of 77) were caught taking the difficult route via Canada while a few others were intercepted within the country. The children act like ‘green cards’ — creating an opportunity for the parents to seek refuge on ‘humanitarian grounds’.
“I knew they were not going to be in danger. They were with my friends and relatives…and they were ultimately going to be in the custody of US law agencies….We can’t wait till our kids complete their studies in India and then opt for legal ways to enter the US. If they are there already when they are young, they can complete their studies, find a job and earn decent money,” a man from Gujarat told ToI.
But as the Trump administration continues to harden its stance on migration, such children might soon face deportation or criminal cases. According to report by The Guardian, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials may now be seeking out unaccompanied immigrant children across the US for such reasons while conducting ‘welfare visits’. Legal advice provided to unaccompanied minors has also been slashed this year — with funds not flowing despite court intervention. The federal agency monitoring unaccompanied immigrant children has also reportedly begun sharing sensitive data with ICE.