PANAJI
As many as 30 Goans have been deported by the United States since January 2025 for reasons including illegal entry, visa overstays and lack of valid documentation, according to data released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). However, officials caution that the actual number of returnees could be higher, as several individuals opt for “self-deportation”, which often goes unrecorded.
The MEA data shows that a total of 3,258 Indian nationals were deported from the US to India during the period from January to December 2025. Punjab and Haryana recorded the highest number of deportations, followed by Goa and Uttar Pradesh.
As per information available with the Goa State NRI Commission, at least 15 Goans have returned to the State after being deported. MEA figures indicate that 26 Goans were deported by July 2025, with the number rising to 30 by the end of November.
According to the MEA, discrepancies in data may also arise as illegal Indian immigrants possessing valid travel documents are deported directly by foreign governments. Additionally, Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) issued to undocumented immigrants may not always be utilised, as individuals can appeal against their deportation.
While the majority of deportees returned on regular commercial flights, some were brought back on charter flights operated by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“We have data of 15 individuals returning to Goa. As stated earlier, the number could be higher as many opt for self-deportation,” Goa NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar told The Goan.
Sawaikar said a significant number of individuals choose to leave the US voluntarily due to fear of enforcement actions and job losses. “Such voluntary departures are often not tracked or formally recorded, leading to a data gap,” he explained.
He added that the Ministry of External Affairs remains in constant engagement with US authorities to ensure humane treatment of deportees during ICE and CBP operations.
Apart from Goa, deportees also hailed from States such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Karnataka.
