295 more Indians may be deported from US soon; MEA verifying identities

The Union government has told the Parliament that 295 Indian immigrants currently in the custody of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may soon be deported. These individuals have been issued final orders of removal by US authorities.

The Ministry for External Affairs (MEA), along with other concerned agencies, is currently verifying their details before proceeding with further action. The government has, however, not received any information from the Donald Trump administration on the total number of illegal immigrants with Indian passports in the United States.

Also read: ‘Handcuffed, legs chained’: Second-batch US deportee reports same treatment

388 deported to date

“Since January 2025 till date, a total of 388 Indian nationals have been deported to India from the United States after verification of their nationality,” Union Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar said in a statement laid in Rajya Sabha in response to questions on ‘deportation of Indians from the US’ by Member of Parliament (MP) John Brittas.

“In addition, the US side has recently shared information pertaining to 295 individuals who are in the custody of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with final orders of removal. Concerned agencies of the Government of India are currently verifying the nationality details of these individuals,” the statement said.

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the US Department of Homeland Security.

The statement also mentions that the US ICE’s SOP on deportation provided for the use of restraints since 2012, which Jaishankar told the Parliament earlier, too.

Uproar in Parliament

Earlier, visuals of over 100 Indian illegal immigrants deported from the US in a military aircraft in handcuffs and leg restraints in February led to a massive uproar in Parliament during the Budget Session, prompting questions about the treatment.

Also read: Outrage over Sikhs deportees not allowed to wear turbans by US authorities

“The US side has mentioned that restraints are used to ensure the safety and security of deportation missions on both chartered civilian aircraft as well as military aircraft. While women and minors are generally not shackled, the flight officer in charge of a deportation flight has the final say on the matter,” read the government response.

The statement also said that the government has “strongly registered its concerns” with US authorities on the treatment meted out to deportees, particularly with respect to use of shackles, especially on women who arrived on the February 5 deportation flight.