US Border Interceptions of Indian Nationals Plummet by 62% Amid Shift in Migration Patterns

34,000 Caught Between Oct ’24 And Sept ’25AHMEDABAD: US Customs and Border Protection intercepted 34,146 Indian nationals attempting illegal entry between Oct last year and this Sept, marking a 62% drop from 90,415 detentions during the previous fiscal.This constitutes the sharpest drop over the past four years in the number of Indians caught trying to enter the US illegally.Data released by the agency on Oct 28 shows Indian nationals now account for a significantly smaller share of total border detentions, compared to earlier years. In Sept, the final month of the US fiscal, authorities intercepted 1,147 Indians. In FY22, Indians accounted for 63,927 interceptions.The latest data is 47% lower.According to the report, total "encounters" on the US borders stood at 2.9 million in FY 2024, lower than the 3.2 million recorded in 2023, but marginally higher than the 2.7 million in 2022.Single adults made up the largest share of Indian nationals intercepted during FY25, totalling 31,480. Beside 2,552 family units, authorities detained 91 unaccompanied children and 23 minors travelling with adults.Immigration agents in north and central Gujarat, notorious for facilitating what are euphemistically called "dunki routes", seem to have slowed operations as families increasingly reconsider risks after the deaths of a family from Dingucha along the US-Canada border in 2022 and another near the Rio Grande in 2023.Officials identified the presence of minors at borders as an "ongoing humanitarian concern". The 91 unaccompanied children intercepted in FY25 reflect continued attempts by families relying on smuggling networks to send children in the hope of lenient treatment from US authorities.Migration researchers said the trend highlights both geopolitical enforcement changes and shifting aspirations. "The American route is still viewed as a life-changing gamble. The decline in numbers does not mean the desire has ended - only that the risks have become clearer and costlier," a senior immigration official said.Employment stagnation in India, higher education aspirations and dollar-remittance dreams continue to draw aspirants, albeit with increased caution. The decline in detentions also reflects stricter border enforcement by US authorities, growing awareness about risks in migration-prone states like Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana, and changing smuggling patterns, officials said.