Under President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown on illegal immigration, thousands of illegal migrants are facing deportation from the United States.
Among them are dozens of Indian men who had risked everything, including their money, safety, and dreams, to reach what they believed was the land of opportunity.
As of 2022, the Pew Research Center estimated that around 725,000 undocumented Indians were living in the US, making them the third-largest group of illegal immigrants after those from Mexico and El Salvador.
Between January and September 2025 alone, 2,417 Indians were deported from the US, according to India’s foreign ministry, one of the highest figures in recent years.
Earlier this week, 54 Indian men deported from the US landed in New Delhi, marking yet another large-scale repatriation amid Trump 2.0’s intensified enforcement drive.
Aged between 25 and 40, all hail from Haryana and had travelled to America through the perilous “donkey route,” a network of smugglers that shepherds hopeful migrants through jungles, borders, and oceans in search of a better life.
“My hopes have been dashed”
Harjinder Singh, a farmer, had spent 3.5 million rupees to go to the US four years ago. Once there, he worked as a cook, determined to support his children back home.
“My hopes have been dashed, it is a pity that I could not do anything,” said Singh to BBC, adding he cannot forget the humiliation he was put through during the deportation process.
With all his savings gone, Singh now finds himself back in Haryana, struggling to imagine what comes next and deeply worried about his children’s future.
Naresh Kumar’s dream of a better life came at an even higher price. He sold land and paid 5.7 million rupees to agents who promised him a safe passage to the US.
He began his journey in January 2024, flying first to Brazil before trekking northwards toward the American border. “My relatives kept giving me money from time to time while I was on the way,” Kumar said to BBC.
But his hopes collapsed soon after arriving. Arrested for illegal entry, he spent over a year behind bars before being deported. “I spent 14 months in jail, and then they sent me to India,” he explained to BBC. Now back home, Kumar faces mounting debts and the burden of crushed expectations.
‘Very dangerous’
From Karnal district, Rajat Pal’s journey was no less gruelling. He left home in May 2024 and managed to reach the US only in December that year, travelling through several countries, including Panama. He described his journey as “very dangerous.”
While the details of his travel remain unclear, many like Pal have endured unimaginable conditions, moving across continents by bus, boat, and foot through treacherous terrain. Pal’s long-awaited dream turned into a nightmare of fear, uncertainty, and eventual deportation.
Local police in Kaithal said that none of the deported men have yet filed formal complaints against the agents who facilitated their illegal journeys but assured that “action will be taken once a complaint is received.”
Humiliation faced while deporting illegal immigrants
The plight of these deportees echoes previous incidents that have sparked outrage among Indian communities abroad. Earlier this year, the deportation of 73-year-old Harjit Kaur, who had lived in the US for three decades, triggered widespread anger.
In February, over 100 Indian citizens were flown back on a US military aircraft, with one deportee alleging they were handcuffed for the entire 40-hour flight.
While Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed that deportation flights have been taking place for years and that US procedures legally permit the use of restraints, the incidents have drawn criticism for their harshness.
For the 54 men who returned home this week, the “American dream” has become a symbol of heartbreak. Their journeys, marked by danger and deception, have left not only them but also their families with nothing but memories of loss of dignity, savings, and years of effort.
