Illegal routes to US: Rise in undocumented Indian students alarms experts

India Today

02-06-2025

In the last ten years, the US has continued being one of India's most popular choices for pursuing higher education. The American dream captures the imagination of millions. The value placed on world-class universities, enhanced job opportunities, and access to international career avenues continues to draw lakhs of students each year.Sadly, however, there is a disconcerting reality that we are increasingly becoming aware of Indian students who wish to pursue higher studies and work towards integrating themselves in the US are doing so through undocumented pathways.advertisementBy Ritesh Jain, Co-Founder, LaunchEd Global – Gateway to Excellence in Education, the rise in undocumented routes and visa overstays among Indian students chasing the American dream highlights the urgent need for awareness, regulation, and safer legal alternatives. A GROWING BUT UNDER-REPORTED PHENOMENON
According to the DHS Entry/Exit Overstay Report for F category visa holders, student visa overstays rose to 3.5% in FY 2023. Despite the lack of evidence-based, nationally representative surveys directly targeting the Indian immigrant student population, numerous reports suggest that India still remains part of the top ten countries in the world with the highest visa overstay rates.Furthermore, one of the most concerning hypotheses regarding undocumented Indian immigrants suggests that over 1500 Indian nationals were deported from the US in FY 2024.This figure, strategically claimed by ICE, relies on controversial methodologies, highlighting the opaque nature of border policing—90% of these claimed deportations were through so-called 'border arrests' where students or young people try to cross the border through so-called 'irregular' routes like the US-Mexico border.advertisementEmbracing such accounts, many of the forcible removals of these individuals occurred in the context of forced removal procedures.WHY ARE INDIAN STUDENTS TURNING TO ILLEGAL ROUTES?Several factors are driving this concerning shift:1. Limited opportunities at homeDespite a growing number of educational institutions being set up in India, however, the limited top-tiered seats available in the elite institutions is highly sought after and remains intensely competitive. Many students, particularly those hailing from rural or semi-urban regions, consider the US as a panacea, a quick-fix solution, even if it entails going down unconventional or illegal routes.2. Flawed guidance from unregulated agentsAn unregulated study abroad market exists in India, and an alarming number of students are being solicited by unlicensed agents who promise unrealistic results such as guaranteed work permits and permanent residency in exchange for exorbitant consultancy fees. Certain unscrupulous agents even direct students towards dubious or non-accredited institutions abroad, which endangers students' visa status.3. Misinformation and peer pressureSocial media narratives glamorising life abroad, along with peer pressure fomo to 'go international,' can push students and youth to act out of desperation. Legally, students and families tend to overlook the complete range of consequences that come with unfavourable immigration scenarios or overstaying their visas, or entering the U.S. through undocumented means.advertisement4. Loopholes in the systemEvents like the University of Farmington sting operation in 2019 by ICE, where a fake university was created to expose visa fraud, captured the attention of students in America on fraudulent visas – and the institution with no classes, faculty, or campus. A large portion of these students claimed to have no idea what was going on, defaulting the blame on many of these consultants and agents who submitted their documents without informing them of basic realities.A Dangerous Shift: The Mexico Border RouteWhat's more alarming is the increasing capture of Indian nationals, a large proportion of whom are students, at the US-Mexico border. Over the past few years, there have been reports about Indian adolescents, typically from Punjab and Gujarat, willing to pay traffickers exorbitant sums of money for a chance to sneak into the United States through smuggling routes in Latin America.The journey is treacherous and involves lengthy hikes, being transported in unreliable vehicles, and being apprehended by authorities at the borders. Unfortunately, some have died along the way.This path highlights a more fundamental problem: some Indian youths are ready to cross safety, legality and long-term prospects to pursue a dream of either studying or settling down in America.advertisementTHE WAY FORWARD: AWARENESS, REGULATION, AND LEGAL ALTERNATIVESThe rise in undocumented Indian students is not just an immigration issue—it's a wake-up call to educators, policymakers, and parents.1. Stronger regulation of education agentsIndia needs to impose licencing and control systems to regulate study abroad agents. A lack of transparency in counselling, documentation, and a framework to administer misleading practices will go a long way.2. Better awareness amongst students and familiesTargeting young aspirants and their guardians to legally educate them on visa application processes, post-graduation employment, and the dangers of entering a country illegally is crucial.3. Legal and safer educational pathwaysIndian institutions should collaborate with global partner institutions to develop safer scholarship programs, legitimate pathway programs (such as community college transfer schemes), and even offer remote international exposure through tangible internships, all while expanding international legally safe exposure opportunities.4. Collaborative policy between India and the USThere is a need for close cooperation between both countries to monitor the abuse of student visas and human trafficking. Enhanced data-sharing, educational exchange agreements, and streamlined visa processes are necessary to improve safety as well as clarity regarding the process.The Indian student population adds value to the US higher education system academically, culturally, and economically. However, the rising trend of unlawful or unapproved entry into the US is a cause for concern as this practice undermines the progress made and endangers youths. As a society, there is a need to ensure that aspiration does not get harnessed by misinformation and desperation.