Over the past five years, the number of Indian nationals seeking asylum in the United States has seen a dramatic surge. In fiscal year (FY) 2021, around 4,330 Indians applied for asylum, and this number skyrocketed to approximately 14,570 in FY 2022. By FY 2023, the total had surged even further to nearly 41,330 applications — marking an 855% increase in just two years. The rise in asylum applications reflects a complex mix of factors including political unrest, religious tensions, and economic instability back home, particularly affecting communities in Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat.
In terms of approvals, the number of Indians granted asylum also rose significantly. In FY 2021, about 1,330 Indian nationals were granted asylum, including both affirmative (filed proactively with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and defensive (filed during deportation proceedings) cases. This number climbed to 4,260 in FY 2022 and reached 5,340 in FY 2023, with almost an even split between affirmative and defensive grants. While data for FY 2024 is not yet publicly detailed in terms of approvals or case types, the trend suggests continued high demand among Indian asylum seekers, especially through southern U.S. border entries.
Indian Deportations from the U.S. (2020–2025)
While asylum applications surged, deportations of Indian nationals from the U.S. followed a different trajectory. In 2020, 1,889 Indians were deported, marking a high point in removals. However, deportations dropped in the next three years — 805 in 2021, 862 in 2022, and just 617 in 2023. But the trend reversed in 2024, with deportations rising steeply to 1,529 for that fiscal year. The increase continued into 2025, with the Ministry of External Affairs reporting that 1,563 Indian nationals were deported back to India by July of that year alone.
The year 2025 witnessed several high-profile deportation operations. In February, a U.S. military aircraft deported 104 Indian nationals, most of whom had entered the U.S. illegally via the southern border through Latin American routes. These operations revealed notable demographic patterns — a large portion of those deported hailed from states like Haryana (44 individuals), Gujarat (33), and Punjab (31). The pattern indicates that many of those deported were likely part of the growing number of young men from these regions attempting to reach the U.S. through dangerous smuggling networks, often via Mexico, Panama, and other Central American nations.
Observations and Trends
The overall picture from 2020 to 2025 suggests two parallel trends — a massive increase in Indian asylum applications and a reintensified U.S. effort to deport illegal entrants, especially in 2024 and 2025. This surge in both applications and deportations aligns with reports of a sharp rise in Indian border apprehensions in recent years. For instance, more than 43,000 Indians were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2023 alone, compared to just 1,000 in 2020.
While the United States does grant asylum to a notable number of Indians each year, the approval rate remains significantly lower than the number of applications. Furthermore, the increase in deportations — often through special charter flights — reflects a tightening of immigration enforcement under pressure from both domestic policy and international diplomatic coordination. The data highlights a growing urgency for Indian authorities to address the root causes driving illegal migration, and for U.S. policymakers to manage asylum backlogs more effectively.