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On February 5, 2025, a US military aircraft landed in Amritsar, India, carrying 104 deported Indian immigrants. This US deportation is part of the Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration. It has put thousands of Indian students and tech professionals at risk of removal from the United States.
The deportees were primarily from Punjab, Haryana, and Gujarat, with many having entered the US illegally over the years.
Many stories came out with Indian immigrants claiming that they had paid an agent ₹40-50 lakh (US$46,000) for the promise of legal entry into the US. However, they were duped by these travel agents and had to face the treacherous journey through Qatar, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Later on, the immigrants were arrested at the US-Mexico border and imprisoned before being sent back.
US Indian immigrants' deportation is not an isolated incident. During President Donald Trump's first term in 2019, 2,042 Indian nationals were deported from the country. It is the highest ever in history. In the last 15 years, Indians have been deported from the US more than 15,000 times.
The deportation process has caused an outcry in India. Reports emerged that deportees were restrained with handcuffs and ankle chains for the entire 40-hour journey. Indian lawmakers expressed concerns over the alleged mistreatment, calling for humane treatment of returnees.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said that while the deportation procedures for US citizens allow restraints, they were not used for women and children. He assured us that the Indian government would contact US authorities to ensure the fair treatment of citizens.
The Department of Defense confirmed that it had used a military C-17 to effect the deportations. The US Border Patrol Chief, Michael W. Banks, posted a video of migrants being led to board the aircraft in chains:
The mass deportation has raised the issue of the future of Indian tech workers and students in the United States. There are about 725,000 undocumented Indians nationwide, and among them, at least 20,000 face the real threat of deportation.
Indian professionals are one of the major groups in the US workforce, particularly in technology, healthcare, and engineering. Deportation of skilled workers will lead to labor shortages in key sectors. Indian-American professionals have been working in Silicon Valley, holding high-skilled jobs that contribute to the US economy.
Moreover, the deportation of Indian nationals may hamper research work that is already in progress because most of them are working in academia and technological innovation. The return of such professionals to India may impact global collaborations. It may also hinder the progress of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and software development.
The Indian economy may also face repercussions. The loss of remittances, a key source of foreign income, could destabilize Indian families relying on this financial support for education, healthcare, and daily expenses. Additionally, the oversupply of skilled labor due to returning workers may intensify job market competition in India.
Despite all these challenges, the number of Indian students in the US has seen an all-time high. The Open Doors Report states that 3,31,602 Indian students joined US universities in the 2024 academic year. This was a 23% increase from the previous year. Indian students now account for 29% of the total international student population in the US.
Growing concerns regarding the strict measures and deportation have made some Indian students reportedly stop their off-campus jobs. The stiff immigration rules have made many Indians drop the US as an option for pursuing further academic education.
Best Countries for Tech Jobs in 2025 Outside of the US
Indian students now may start considering other nations for excelling in tech careers, with a focus on safety and visa rules. Switzerland, Singapore, Australia, and the UK are the top countries for aspiring Indian techies outside the US.
Switzerland leads the innovation scoreboard with an average IT salary of €103,886. Singapore's tech industry is booming, with an average salary of €58,230 annually. Australia provides a flexible work culture and salaries of around AU$57,195. The UK, being a central tech hub, offers €47,151. IT salaries in Canada range from CA$53k to CA$85k, while Germany offers €43k to €63k.
Emerging markets such as Mexico, Poland, and the Netherlands have solid opportunities with relative pay and emerging tech ecosystems. However, recent strictness in visa rules in Canada, the ongoing war in Ukraine, etc. raises the question of safety for the students. The economic boom in India further intensifies this doubt, making young tech minds wonder if India is the place to be now to fulfill their Silicon Valley dreams.
The mass deportations come at a time when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Washington for consultations with President Trump. Immigration policies would likely rank very high on his agenda in the talks. Diplomatic engagements between officials have ensured that the deportation process immigrants face is just and that people being deported are treated humanely.
For the United States, the deportation may result in the loss of skilled Indian workers. For India, the return of professionally well-trained people will shape the job market by providing challenges alongside opportunities.
In the United States, thousands of Indians, including tech professionals and students, wait anxiously to know whether they will stay in this foreign land or return to India.
This shocking incident may permanently change the idea of the ‘American Dream’ among Indians. Increasing risks of deportation and stricter visa policies may discourage many skilled tech professionals and students from migrating. They are reevaluating their choices of looking for opportunities in other countries. Indian techies are now focusing more on the nation’s emerging tech sector. It remains to be seen how this Trump decision will affect both nations in the coming future.
