Though former President Donald Trump often spoke about mass deportations of illegal immigrants, the Biden administration has surpassed him in this regard. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported over 270,000 immigrants to 192 countries, including India, during fiscal year (FY) 2024. This marked the highest level of deportations since 2014. Among those deported were 1,529 Indian nationals.
This surge in deportations comes even as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to implement the largest deportation in American history when he assumes office on January 20, 2025. Trump has been critical of President Biden’s handling of immigration policy, stating that his administration has failed to properly address the illegal immigration issue. Despite the criticism, the deportation numbers under Biden’s leadership indicate a significant increase, with ICE detaining 2,647 Indians for deportation in FY2024, placing them fourth on the list after Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.
The Biden administration’s actions reflect a sharp contrast to the rhetoric often used by Trump, who has frequently called for stronger immigration enforcement. While Biden has largely focused on more humane policies, the number of deportations under his administration has risen steadily. ICE has a list of 1.5 million individuals marked for deportation, which includes nearly 18,000 undocumented Indian nationals. This shows the scale of the ongoing efforts to remove unauthorized immigrants from the country, despite Biden’s public stance on the matter.
The fiscal year 2024 deportations represent a decade-high figure, surpassing previous administrations. In 2014, ICE removed 315,943 immigrants from the US, and during Trump’s first term, the highest deportation figure was 267,258 in 2019. By comparison, in fiscal year 2022, ICE deported 72,177 immigrants, a figure that nearly doubled in FY2023 to 142,580. In FY2024, the number nearly doubled again, reaching 271,484 deportations.
As the Biden administration nears its end, with the President set to complete his term in 2025, the incoming president has promised a more aggressive approach to deportation. Trump, having defeated Democratic rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, is set to be inaugurated on January 20, 2025, and his plans for mass deportations have already sparked debate. One key figure in his immigration strategy is Tom Homan, whom Trump appointed as the new “border czar.” Homan has stated that he will need significant congressional support to bolster the resources required to carry out Trump’s deportation agenda. This includes funding to create additional detention capacity, with Homan suggesting a need for at least 100,000 beds to house detainees, more than double the current number of 40,000 beds.
Indians, who form a significant 5-million-strong community in the US, are also heavily represented in the deportation numbers. Under Trump’s presidency, the number of deported Indians fluctuated significantly. In FY2019, 1,616 Indians were deported, and the number increased to 2,312 in FY2020, reflecting a 43% rise. However, during the Biden administration, deportations of Indians decreased to 292 in FY2021 and 276 in FY2022, possibly due to the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions. The number began to rise again in FY2023, with 370 Indians deported, and the figure surged dramatically to 1,529 in FY2024.
ICE has been stepping up its deportation efforts, including increasing deportation flights, some of which occur on weekends, and streamlining the procedures involved in the deportation process. ICE is working from a list of approximately 1.5 million individuals marked for deportation, including almost 18,000 Indian nationals. The surge in deportations is largely attributed to the growing number of unauthorized immigrants, including those who have been charged with or convicted of criminal activity, gang members, suspected terrorists, and human rights violators. This marks a shift toward more targeted deportations compared to the previous years, where a larger number of deportations involved individuals without criminal records.
The unauthorized immigrant population in the US grew to an estimated 11 million in 2022, with Indian nationals accounting for 725,000, making them the third-largest group of unauthorized immigrants after Mexicans, who number around 4 million, and Salvadorans, who number approximately 750,000. The US has been facing a rise in illegal border crossings in recent years, with Indian nationals making up a significant portion of those attempting to enter the US without proper documentation. In 2022, a total of 109,535 individuals attempted illegal crossings at the US-Canada border, with Indians accounting for nearly 16% of the total, approximately 17,000. This number rose to 189,402 in 2023, including 30,010 Indian nationals. The figures continued to increase in 2024, with 43,764 Indians attempting illegal entry, representing about 22% of the total 198,929 attempted illegal entries.
The rising number of illegal border crossings and detentions of Indians has prompted the US government to take more stringent measures. These actions have extended to pressuring neighboring countries, particularly Canada and Mexico, to take stronger action to prevent illegal immigration and curb drug trafficking. The US has warned both countries that it could impose a 25% tariff on goods if they fail to enhance security and border controls to prevent illegal crossings. In response to this pressure, Canada has begun tightening security measures along the US-Canada border, which is the world’s longest land border, in an effort to prevent further illegal crossings and related activities.
At the same time, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed concerns that any punitive measures from the US could lead to retaliatory tariffs from her government. The increasing pressure on both Canada and Mexico underscores the broader geopolitical implications of the US’s efforts to combat illegal immigration and the challenges it faces in managing its border security.
The deportation of immigrants, including Indians, has continued to rise as part of the broader crackdown on illegal immigration in the US. While the Biden administration has faced criticism for its handling of immigration, the statistics show that deportations have reached historic highs, even surpassing those seen under Trump’s presidency. As the US government moves into the 2024-2025 fiscal year, immigration and border security will remain central to the political debate, with the incoming Trump administration promising to further intensify the deportation efforts.
With the changing political landscape, it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve in the coming years. However, the recent rise in deportations reflects the ongoing challenges the US faces in managing immigration and border security, and it is likely that immigration will continue to be a key issue for the incoming administration.
