Indian Immigration to US Plummets: Numbers Drop by 47% Over Four Years

Ahmedabad: What once could be called a steady stream of Indian immigrants trying to illegally cross into the US is shrinking into a trickle, numbers from the past four US financial years show.The numbers have been the lowest in four years — from 63,927 in FY 2022 to 34,146 in FY 2025, a 47% drop. The drop is even sharper compared to FY 2024's 90,415 — 62%.This data released by the US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) office not just reflects stricter border enforcement by US authorities, and growing awareness about the risks in migration-prone states like Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana, but also changing smuggling patterns.By comparison, the total global encounters at the US border stood at 2.9 million in FY 2024, 3.2 million in FY 2023, and 2.7 million in FY 2022, showing that while overall global migration has fluctuated, the fall among Indian nationals is substantially steep.You Can Also Check:Ahmedabad AQI|Weather in Ahmedabad|Gold Rate Today in Ahmedabad|Silver Rate Today in AhmedabadIn Sep 2025 alone, the final month of the US fiscal year, 1,147 Indians were intercepted while attempting illegal entry. Globally, 6,91,906 people were apprehended during the fiscal year, indicating that Indians accounted for a significantly smaller share compared to earlier years.During the entire year, single adults intercepted made up the biggest share, numbering 31,480, followed by 2,552 family units. In addition, 91 were unaccompanied children, while 23 were minors accompanied by adults.Agents in Gujarat's North and Central regions — once known for enabling passages through ‘donkey' routes — have slowed operations as families increasingly reconsider risks, particularly after chilling deaths of a family from Dingucha along the US-Canada border in 2022, and of another near the Rio Grande in 2023.Officials say the presence of minors at borders remains a humanitarian concern. While the numbers are lower this year, officials point out that the 91 unaccompanied children intercepted in FY 2025 reflect continued attempts by families relying on smuggling networks to send children in the hope of lenient treatment by US."The American route is still viewed as a life-changing gamble," said a senior immigration official. "The decline in numbers does not mean the desire has ended — only that the risks have become clearer and costlier." Analysts suggest that employment stagnation, high educational aspirations, and dollar-remittance dreams continue to draw aspirants, though with greater caution.