Indian man held by US immigration agency for sexually assaulting a child

An Indian man was held by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New Jersey for sexually assaulting a minor.

The agency posted a picture of a man named Vodela Yashaswi Kottapalli, calling him an “illegal alien from India”, and saying that he will remain in ICE’s custody over charges of sexual assault and larceny.

—SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD UNDER 13
—SHOPLIFTING
—PUBLIC DISORDER

Vodela Yashaswi Kottapalli, a criminal illegal alien from India, has pending charges for sexual assault and larceny in New Jersey.

We’ll keep him in custody pending removal proceedings. pic.twitter.com/VM97e9KUD9

— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) February 16, 2026

Deportation of Indians

Last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that 3,258 Indian nationals had been deported by the United States since January 2025, the highest since 2009.

“The issuance of visas is a sovereign right of a government. In the case of the United States, the US government has taken a view, the latest announcement was yesterday, that every visa adjudication is a national security decision. So, they reserve the right to take a decision on a visa, which is based on their assessment of the national security implications of a particular individual’s position,” Jaishankar told Rajya Sabha last year.

The government has not published a comprehensive breakdown distinguishing deportations tied to criminal charges from those based solely on immigration violations.

US officials have said that people accused or convicted of serious crimes, especially offences involving minors, are given priority for detention and removal. Under US law, non-citizens charged with certain crimes may be held in immigration custody while their cases move through the courts.

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