70% dip in Indians caught trying to enter US illegally in Jan-May 2025
The number fell from 34,535 in Jan-May 2024 - when President Joe Biden was in office - to 10,382 in the same period of 2025.
Yet, the fact that 10,382 Indians risked life and limb to sneak in even as the route becomes more perilous indicates the desperation to chase the American dream remains just as fierce. The count included at least 30 unaccompanied minors, many from Gujarat. The numbers have been released by US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP).
The sharp drop coincides with the Trump administration's renewed crackdown on illegal immigration, which allegedly disrupted long-standing smuggling networks that cater to hopeful migrants from Gujarat.
Anticipating Trump's return, many syndicates paused ops from late 2024
US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) data shows a dramatic reversal in border encounters, with daily arrests of Indians dropping to around 69 from 230. Many of these syndicates paused their operations from late 2024, anticipating Trump's return.
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"The moment it became clear Trump would likely win again, routes started drying up," a source connected to a Gujarat-based human smuggling ring told TOI. "People still want to go, but smugglers have either scaled back or raised costs, and the fear of stricter deportation is real.
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The broader impact is also visible in USCBP's overall data, which show the number of illegal immigrants (across all nationalities) apprehended dropped sharply over the same five-month period of 2025.
Such arrests fell from 81,492 in Jan to 28,617 in Feb, 29,021 in March, 29,218 in April, and 29,502 in May.
Yet for many Indians, especially from Gujarat, the dream of a better life across the border remains irresistible, and often fatal. On May 9, a boat carrying illegal migrants capsized near Del Mar, California, killing 14-year-old Prince and 10-year-old Mahi.
Their parents, Brijesh and Sangita Patel, survived the wreck with grievous injuries.
The deaths are not isolated. At least nine people from Gujarat are confirmed to have died while trying to cross the US border since Jan 2025.
Of the at least 30 unaccompanied minors caught this year, agents said some were probably abandoned by adult companions during the perilous journey. In some cases, smugglers encouraged families to separate in hopes that minors would be treated more leniently under US immigration rules.
According to officials, Gujarat continues to be one of the main sources of such illegal migration. "Over the past decade, networks of agents have established overland routes through Central America," an official said.
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