The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) expresses deep concern over the continuing challenges faced by noncitizens arriving at U.S. ports of entry — whether by land, air, or sea — without adequate documentation. According to the most recent person-by-person records released by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a total of 65,870 individuals were deemed “inadmissible” at various ports of entry across the United States since President Donald Trump returned to office. These figures are updated through the end of May 2025.
While President Trump’s executive order, signed on January 22, 2025, aimed to tighten border controls and curb undocumented immigration, it has not entirely stemmed the tide of noncitizens attempting entry into the country. The executive action led to a significant drop in inadmissible entries and brought a noticeable shift in the nationalities of those attempting to enter.
Under the current administration, Mexicans once again top the list of those arriving without adequate papers, followed by Canadians, Chinese, and Indian citizens. This marks a departure from the Biden administration era, during which Venezuelans, Cubans, and Mexicans were the predominant groups attempting entry without documentation. It is notable that while the number of Mexicans inadmissible has declined by 50%, the number of Canadians trying to enter the U.S. without sufficient documents has increased by 15% under the Trump administration.
Despite the toughened stance, the U.S. has not completely barred the entry of all undocumented noncitizens. As of May 2025, 12,347 individuals were paroled into the United States, and 2,680 were issued Notices to Appear (NTAs) in immigration court, allowing them temporary legal presence to pursue their claims. A comparative analysis reveals that fewer asylum seekers are being allowed entry under Trump than were under President Biden. The daily number of paroled entrants is now just one-third of what it was during the previous administration.
Field offices also show geographical trends in policy implementation. The San Diego and San Francisco CBP offices continue to lead in the number of paroles issued, followed by Laredo and Tampa. On the other hand, Laredo and New York remain the top offices issuing NTAs, with San Diego also among the most active. These insights are derived from a detailed analysis of official U.S. port-of-entry records recently made public through the persistent efforts of the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
Satnam Singh Chahal, Executive Director of NAPA, stated:
“The ongoing arrival of noncitizens at U.S. borders underscores the complexity of immigration dynamics in a world grappling with geopolitical instability, economic hardship, and human rights crises. While national security remains vital, compassion, due process, and adherence to international human rights norms must not be compromised. The rising number of Indian and Punjabi nationals among the inadmissible highlights the urgent need for awareness and legal assistance for those in desperate situations.”
NAPA urges the U.S. government and lawmakers to take a balanced, humane, and data-informed approach in managing immigration, ensuring that legitimate asylum seekers are given fair consideration while maintaining border integrity.