Trump administration revokes legal protections for 5.3 lakh migrants, signals mass deportations: Are Indians next in line?

The Trump administration escalated its hardline immigration policies on Friday, announcing the revocation of legal protections for approximately 530,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

This move, part of President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on immigration, could lead to mass deportations starting as early as April 24, 2025, or 30 days after the decision is formalized in the Federal Register, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The decision terminates a humanitarian parole program, introduced under former President Joe Biden, which allowed migrants from these four countries to enter the United States by air with financial sponsors since October 2022. The program granted them two-year permits to live and work legally in the U.S. amid worsening political instability and violence in their home nations.

However, the Trump administration has criticized the initiative as an overreach of federal authority, with DHS alleging “broad abuse” of the long-standing legal tool traditionally used to provide temporary refuge.

“Parolees without a lawful basis to remain in the United States must depart before their parole termination date,” DHS stated in its announcement. Immigrants who fail to leave voluntarily could face deportation proceedings, though it remains unclear how many of the 530,000 affected individuals have secured alternative legal statuses since their arrival.

Indians in the U.S. and Immigration Context

While this policy shift primarily targets Latin American and Caribbean migrants, it unfolds against a broader backdrop of immigration enforcement affecting diverse communities, including the estimated 4.8 million Indian immigrants living in the U.S. as of 2024, according to Pew Research Centre.

Indians represent one of the largest and fastest-growing immigrant groups in the country, with many holding H-1B visas, green cards, or citizenship. However, a significant number—roughly 300,000—are undocumented, often having overstayed visas or entered illegally.

The Trump administration’s aggressive deportation agenda has raised concerns among Indian immigrants, particularly those without legal status. Since January 2025, the US government has deported approximately 388 Indian citizens. The majority (333) were sent directly back to India on three special flights in February. An additional 55 Indian citizens were deported from the US through Panama and then arrived in India on regular commercial flights. This information was provided by the Indian government to its Parliament.

The Suri Deportation Case

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration – that arrested and sought to deport an Indian man studying in Washington’s Georgetown University – to not deport him. Badar Khan Suri’s lawyer said that the Trump administration was looking to deport him after accusing him of harming US foreign policy. 

 

Badar Khan Suri is an Indian postdoctoral researcher at Georgetown University who was detained by U.S. immigration authorities on March 17, 2025, accused by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of "spreading Hamas propaganda" and having ties to a suspected terrorist.

His visa was revoked, and he faces deportation, though a federal judge temporarily blocked this on March 20, 2025, pending further legal proceedings.