4800 Indians Deported Trumps Immigration Crackdown Hits Hard

The immigration crackdown under US President Donald Trump is increasingly affecting Indians, including some long-term residents and green card holders.

One recent case involves Venkata Vasamsetty, a long-term US green card holder who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), even though a judge had earlier dismissed efforts to remove her from the country.

According to the account, Vasamsetty has been a lawful permanent resident since 2013 and is accused by ICE of abandoning her residency after spending several months in India in 2022 while visiting her ailing father and later contracting Covid. She disputes the allegation.

Another Indian resident, jazz musician Pritesh Walia, was also arrested recently before being released on bond.

These cases come amid a much wider immigration enforcement drive. More than 4,800 Indian nationals have reportedly been deported since Trump returned to office.

Of them, 3,567 were deported last year and another 1,273 in the first half of this year, according to figures cited from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

At the national level, ICE arrests have also surged. The agency reportedly arrested around 51,000 people in July, while enforcement activity increased further in early August.

While Latin American and Caribbean nationals continue to account for the largest share of US immigration arrests and deportations, Indians reportedly rank at the top among Asian nationalities.

According to data cited from Stop AAPI Hate, Indians accounted for nearly 28% of 14,402 Asians arrested between January 2025 and March 2026. Indians also represented around 28% of the 6,218 Asian nationals deported during the same period.

The organisation said its latest analysis continues to show Indians among the Asian and Pacific Islander communities most affected by ICE arrests, detentions and deportations.

ICE was created after the September 11 attacks as part of the US Department of Homeland Security. But the agency has become particularly controversial during Trump’s second term, as his administration has aggressively pursued mass deportations.

Civil rights organisations and immigration lawyers have accused ICE officers of using increasingly aggressive enforcement methods. The source article also cites allegations involving arrests from vehicles, airport interventions, force against protesters and deaths in immigration custody.

The crackdown is also expanding beyond people with final deportation orders. Recent cases reportedly involve green card disputes, expired visas, asylum cases and other immigration-status issues.

The tougher enforcement drive has produced a massive increase in immigration litigation.

At the same time, federal judges have repeatedly intervened in detention cases. A Politico investigation cited in the article found that judges ruled against ICE detention tactics more than 17,300 times in the past year, creating a huge workload for federal courts.

Indian Students and H-1B Workers Also Feel the Pressure

The impact of the immigration crackdown is not limited to undocumented migrants.

The article argues that tighter H-1B rules, proposed changes to the 60-day grace period after job loss and increased scrutiny of student visas are also affecting legal Indian immigrants and students.

A study cited from NAFSA and JB International estimates that a fall in international student numbers could cost the US economy $3.4 billion and nearly 40,000 jobs. Applications from India were also reported to have fallen by 14% for the 2026-27 academic year.

Another report cited in the article found that 59% of US higher education institutions received fewer international applications this year, with India showing one of the sharpest declines. Visa delays and rising rejection rates were identified as major concerns.

Trump can point to a sharp fall in illegal border crossings as evidence that his immigration policies are working.

But the growing number of Indians caught up in deportation proceedings, green card disputes, visa restrictions and student-visa uncertainty raises a larger question.

The US has every right to enforce its immigration laws. But if enforcement increasingly affects legal residents, skilled workers and international students, the long-term impact could extend beyond immigration numbers.

For Indians who once viewed America as the most attractive destination for education, technology careers and permanent settlement, the environment is clearly becoming more uncertain.

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