Kaithal, Haryana / New Delhi — Several illegal Indian migrants recently deported from the United States have spoken about their harrowing experiences, describing humiliation, financial ruin, and shattered dreams after being sent back to India amid an intensified crackdown on undocumented immigrants under U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
A group of 54 men, aged between 25 and 40, returned to Delhi on Sunday after being deported for illegal entry into the U.S. They are all from Haryana, and police said they have since returned to their hometowns. The Indian government has yet to issue an official statement on the deportations.
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, more than 2,400 Indians have been deported from the U.S. in 2025 alone — many of whom entered the country via the dangerous and costly “donkey route” (also known as the “dunki route”), a network used by human traffickers to smuggle migrants across multiple international borders.
‘I Spent 14 Months in Jail’
Harjinder Singh, a farmer from Kaithal, said he sold his land and spent 3.5 million rupees (USD $39,000) to reach the U.S. four years ago. Once there, he worked as a cook to support his family back home.
“My hopes have been dashed. It is a pity that I could not do anything,” he told BBC Punjabi, adding that the deportation process was humiliating and that he now fears for his children’s future.
Another deportee, Naresh Kumar, said he sold his land and borrowed money to pay 5.7 million rupees to agents who promised to help him reach the U.S. He traveled from Brazil to the U.S. in early 2024, but was arrested soon after arrival.
“I spent 14 months in jail and then they sent me back to India,” he said.
‘The Journey Was Very Dangerous’
Rajat Pal, from Karnal district, said he left India in May 2024 and reached the U.S. seven months later via Panama, describing his journey as “very dangerous.” Many migrants using the same route face life-threatening conditions as they cross jungles, rivers, and multiple borders using buses, boats, and smugglers.
A senior police official in Kaithal said no formal complaints have yet been filed against the local agents who arranged the journeys, but “action will be taken once a complaint is received.”
Growing Concern Over Human Trafficking
Indian authorities have repeatedly warned citizens against falling prey to human smuggling networks, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging young people to pursue legal and safe migration routes.
India’s foreign ministry reported that between January and September 2025, 2,417 Indians were deported from the U.S. Earlier this year, the deportation of 73-year-old Harjit Kaur, who had lived in America for three decades, drew outrage from the Sikh community, after reports emerged that deportees on another flight had been handcuffed for 40 hours.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar later confirmed that U.S. procedures permit the use of restraints during deportations, though India has raised humanitarian concerns with Washington.
The Pew Research Center estimates there are about 725,000 undocumented Indian immigrants in the U.S., making them the third-largest illegal migrant group after nationals from Mexico and El Salvador.