Daijiworld Media Network –Washington (DD)
Washington, May 30: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday confirmed that 1,080 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States since January 2025, with around 62% of them returning on commercial flights.
Addressing the media, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India and the US continue to maintain strong coordination on migration and deportation issues. “We have close cooperation between India and the United States on migration issues, including the deportation of Indian nationals who are in illegal status or who travel illegally. We take them back once we receive full details about them,” he said.
The deportation figures reflect the ongoing global focus on stricter immigration controls and screening, particularly in the US.
Jaiswal also addressed growing concerns around new American policies affecting Indian students, especially amid recent tensions involving the Trump administration and academic institutions such as Harvard University.
While responding to questions, Jaiswal emphasized that the welfare of Indian students abroad remains an “utmost priority” for the Indian government. “While we note that visa issuance is a sovereign decision, we hope that Indian students will be assessed fairly and based on merit, and will be able to join their academic programs without delays,” he said.
The statement comes in the wake of a directive issued by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, instructing American embassies worldwide to halt new visa interview appointments for students under the F, M, and J categories. The measure is reportedly tied to an upcoming expansion of mandatory social media screening as part of the US government’s enhanced vetting process.
The diplomatic cable, reported by Politico, stated: “Effective immediately… consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.”
The pause in visa processing has raised concerns among students globally, especially from India, which sends one of the largest contingents of international students to US universities each year.
India’s MEA said it is closely monitoring the developments and will continue to engage with US authorities to ensure the fair treatment of Indian applicants.