The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that since January 2025, around 1,080 Indians have been deported from the United States, with approximately 62 per cent returning on commercial flights.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have close cooperation between India and the United States on migration issues, on the 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.”
He added, “The update on the numbers is that since January 2025, around 1,080 Indians have returned or been deported from the United States. Of these, about 62 per cent have come on commercial flights.”
Jaiswal also addressed reports about updated US government guidance on Student and Exchange Visitor visa applicants. The MEA said the welfare of Indian students abroad remains a top priority and that India will continue to monitor developments closely.
“While the issuance of visas is a sovereign function, we hope Indian students’ applications will be considered on merit and they will be able to join their academic programmes on time,” he said.
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered US embassies and consulates to stop scheduling new visa interviews for student applicants. This move is part of the Trump administration’s plan to enforce stricter vetting, including reviewing applicants’ social media profiles, according to a report by Politico.
The directive, detailed in a cable obtained by Politico, will expand social media screening requirements for foreign student and exchange visitor visa applicants.
“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 (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days”, the cable states. (“Septel” refers to a separate telegram in State Department terminology.)
While the cable does not specify the type of social media activity under review, it cites executive orders targeting counterterrorism and antisemitism, the report added.
ANI