Chandigarh, 31 January 2025: Families in Haryana who paid ₹40-50 lakh to send their children to the United States through illegal channels are growing anxious after former US President Donald Trump announced a crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
Reports indicate that the Trump administration has officially raised the issue with the Indian government regarding the deportation of nearly 18,000 Indian nationals.
Shamsher Singh (name changed), a resident of a Rohtak village, shared concerns about his younger brother, who entered the US illegally in September last year after paying ₹46 lakh to an agent based in Kurukshetra.
“When my brother scaled the giant fence after passing through multiple countries, our dream of sending him to the US was fulfilled. He surrendered to US Customs and Border Protection officials and applied for political asylum. His case is in court, but after the new president’s deportation announcement, we are deeply worried about his future,” he said.
The situation underscores the widespread network of illegal immigration in India, the risks involved in such perilous journeys, and the financial burden on families seeking opportunities abroad.
According to Pew Research, Indians are the third-largest group of undocumented migrants in the US, behind Mexico and El Salvador.
Sunita (name changed) from Sonepat said her daughter attempted to secure a US study visa twice after completing her BSc in non-medical but was denied both times.
She eventually reached the US in March 2024 via the ‘donkey route’ with her cousin after an agent from Panipat assured safe passage. “Now, we fear deportation,” Sunita said.
Praveen Kumar (name changed), 22, from Jind, currently working as a taxi driver in Texas, said his mother sold one acre of land for ₹27 lakh in 2023 to fund his journey.
“My younger brother arrived in the US last November but is still waiting for a work permit. I have a five-year work permit from 2023 to 2028, but if I leave the country, I won’t be able to return. If asylees are sent back, our lives will be shattered. I continue working, but I worry about my brother,” he said.
Jatin Kumar (name changed), a resident of Karnal’s Baldi village, said his cousin has been in a US detention center for six months. “His parents spent ₹40 lakh to send him last year. With reports of Trump’s deportation plan, they are uncertain about his future,” Kumar said.
Tushar Singh (name changed) from Ambala’s Barara shared a similar concern. His son has been in the US for a year but has struggled to find work and now faces deportation. “We sold agricultural land to send him abroad for a better life. Now, our dreams have collapsed,” he said.
Sudhanshu Kaushik, who leads the North American Association of Indian Students, said illegal migration from Haryana surged after Covid, driven by various factors.
“Even conservative estimates suggest over a million Indian-origin illegal migrants are in the US. The 18,000 deportation figure may seem small in comparison, but it instills fear among families. It’s not just those being sent back—it’s also about those stuck in court cases,” he said.
“We have people who sold ancestral land and spent ₹40-50 lakh to get to the US via the donkey route.
Some who arrived recently will be deported, while others working for years on minimum wage, still repaying debts, now face an uncertain future,” he added.
