Indian migrants fear for safety as US border arrests hit four-year low

For Indian migrants trying to enter the US illegally, the trip has never been more dangerous. Border arrests have fallen to their lowest level in four years as a result of US President Donald Trump’s increased focus on immigration enforcement.

US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) states that just 1,628 Indians were apprehended in February 2025, while 3,132 were apprehended in January and more over 5,600 in December.

Once a lifeline for hopeful migrants, smugglers are retreating as the number of deportations rises.

Those who are already in the US illegally are on edge, restricting their travels and evading immigration raids to stay under the radar.

Trump’s strict immigration laws and vigorous crackdown on illegal crossings, which have increased the possibility of incarceration and deportation, are blamed by experts for this declining trend.

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In February 2025, the United States used military planes to deport 344 Indian immigrants, including 74 Gujaratis, for repatriation. In a rare move that highlighted the administration’s tough stance against illegal immigration, immigrants in the first three flights were handcuffed and chained.

So, it comes as no surprise that the Feb numbers indicate the lowest number of Indian border arrests in the preceding four financial years, from 2022 to 2025.

Of those seized, 238 were taken at the northern US border, 145 along the southern border with Mexico, and the other people were nabbed within the nation.

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The composition of detainees comprises four unaccompanied juveniles, three accompanying children, 52 persons in family groupings, and 1,572 single adults.

Trump’s tough immigration policies have all but shut down illegal activities, particularly those that help transfer Indians, mostly from Gujarat, to the United States, according to a source within human smuggling networks.

In the meantime, Indian immigrants who are already living in the US illegally are terrified.

According to USCBP data, between 90,000 and 1 lakh Indians attempt to enter the US illegally each year. But with Trump’s administration’s increased enforcement, those figures are predicted to fall much lower.