Millions of undocumented migrants in the United States, 725,000 of whom are Indian, live under growing terror in the shadow of the new White House occupant, Donald Trump, who vowed to crack down on illegal immigration. On Inauguration Day, Trump reiterated his commitment to greater border security, more expeditious deportations, and crackdowns on illegal immigration.
The Trump crackdown on immigration put the congregation pressure on people to disperse and act like [fire] spread in every direction and led to some to seek refuge both in churches and in legal aid offices.
Undocumented Indian Migrants Under Threat
The number of undocumented immigrants in the US is estimated to be between 11 and 14 million and their immigration is third in size (after that of Mexicans and Salvadorians). US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 1,529 Indians in 2024 under the more relaxed policy in place under the current administration headed by President Joe Biden at the beginning of the year. Nevertheless, deportation rates are forecast to go through the roof under the more hardline approach of current “great” Mr. Trump.
In his inaugural address, the President framed illegal immigration as a national emergency, declaring, “One of the most crucial of my responsibilities is to safeguard Americans from the terrible consequences of mass illegal immigration, and has already scrapped the papulation based “One Entry” App developed by the Bidden Admin.
In the US, invisible immigrants are most highly concentrated in the states of Florida, Texas, New York, and New Jersey. Florida alone accounts for 400,000 undocumented immigrants. Under the Trump regime, a great number of criminal records have been provided to 655,000 individuals to be deported and 1,400,000 individuals of which deportation orders already exist.
Challenges for H-1B Visa Holders
The Trump administration’s immigration policy has even heightened the apprehensions of Indian nationals with temporary visas like H-1Bs. Indian citizens accounted for 72% of the 386,000 H-1B visas issued or renewed in 2023.
Despite increased border enforcement, legal employment authorization visa holders are also becoming more vulnerable to these pressures of uncertainty and scrutiny. All of these may lead to anxiety surrounding future limits on routes to permanent residence, or to changes in their work and journey timetable.
Rising Anxiety Among Immigrants
As Trump cracks down on immigration more aggressively, both undocumented immigrants and visa holders are hit by the most aggressive immigration crackdown in U.S. history. Pro bono civil legal assistance and sanctuary services in major North American cities including Chicago and New York City have been inundated with requests as populations grapple with the next step.
Also, see: Trump’s policies’ impact on India: What will happen to Indian rupee now?