3,155 Indian nationals deported from US this year as of November 21: Government tells Parliament

New Delhi: In 2025, as of November 21, as many as 3,155 Indian nationals have been deported from the US, the government informed Parliament on Friday.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written response to a query, also said all deportations are subject to an "unambiguous verification" of their Indian nationality.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was asked whether it is a fact that several Indians who entered through "donkey route", were recently deported from the US, and if so, the number of people shunted out by the US government to India during the last three years.

The phrase "donkey route" refers to the route used for illegal immigration, largely in context of North America.

"The US government usually deports individuals who are found to have (i) illegally entered the US, (ii) have overstayed their visa validity, (iii) have been found living in the US without any documentation, or (iv) have criminal conviction against them. The Government of India works in close coordination with the US government on these deportation operations," Singh said.

In his response, he also shared the number of Indian nationals deported from the US to India in the last three years.

In 2025, as of November 21, the number of Indian nationals deported from US stood at 3,155, as per the data shared in a tabulated form.

For 2024, the corresponding figure stood at 1,368 and in 2023, the number stood at 617.

"Data relating to registration of cases of trafficking to other countries, including through 'donkey route', is not maintained by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Most of the foreign countries do not share details of Indian deportees," the MoS said in response to a separate query.

The MEA, in another query, was asked the number of Indian workers imprisoned and languishing in jails in Kuwait and other countries.

"There are a total of 316 Indian prisoners in jails in Kuwait (as on 31.10.2025) as per the data shared by Kuwaiti authorities," Singh said.

The ministry, in a separate query, was also asked state-wise details on Haj pilgrims from India, who left for pilgrimage, under the Haj Committee of India, in the last few years.

Singh shared a year-wise tabulated data, according to which 1,39,964 Haj pilgrims from different parts of India, had left for pilgrimage in 2024; and 1,39,429 in 2023; and 56,634 in 2022. In a separate query, the MEA was asked the number of new diplomatic missions and consulates proposed to be opened during financial year 2025–26 and their geographic distribution.

"In FY 2025, one new Mission has been opened in Quito (Ecuador), and four new Consulates have been opened in Boston (USA), Los Angeles (USA), Kazan (Russia) and Yekaterinburg (Russia)," Singh said.

"The Ministry of External Affairs from time to time formulates proposals for opening of resident Missions in countries where there are no Indian Missions. It also establishes new consulates to improve coverage and render better services," he added.

The broad foreign policy vision of the government is to maximise India's presence abroad in the most optimal manner.

"The objective of our foreign policy is also to build a conducive environment for India's growth and development through partnerships with friendly countries," he said.

Countries are identified for opening of resident Indian Missions on the basis of "potential for deepening strategic cooperation; strong potential for bilateral trade and investment; strong diaspora presence; to bolster political outreach in multilateral fora; and for signalling India's commitment to stepping up of diplomatic engagement with important countries/regions etc," he said.

"The opening of Missions and Consulates abroad is determined by India’s overall strategic interest within the available financial and human resources," the MoS said.