Indian nationals attempting illegal entry into the US fell by 62% in FY25, the sharpest drop in four years, amid tougher enforcement and rising awareness of migration risks
US Customs and Border Protection recorded a 62% decline in the number of Indian nationals intercepted for illegal entry between October last year and this September. The figure stood at 34,146 for the period, down from 90,415 detentions during the previous fiscal year. This marks the steepest drop in such cases over the past four years.
Data released on October 28 shows that Indian nationals now form a much smaller share of total border detentions compared with earlier years, reported TOI. In September, the final month of the US fiscal year, authorities intercepted 1,147 Indians. In FY22, the figure had reached 63,927, making the latest data 47% lower.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
According to the report, total “encounters” at US borders stood at 2.9 million in FY2024, lower than the 3.2 million recorded in 2023 but slightly above the 2.7 million in 2022. Of those intercepted in FY25, 31,480 were single adults, while authorities detained 2,552 family units, 91 unaccompanied children, and 23 minors travelling with adults.
Smuggling slowdown and shifting migration trends
Immigration agents operating in north and central Gujarat, known for facilitating “dunki routes”, appear to have slowed their activities a