Illegal immigration from India to the United States has declined significantly, according to the latest data from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Between October 2025 and May 2026, US authorities recorded 20,614 encounters involving Indian migrants, marking a 69% drop compared with the same period in FY2023, when irregular migration from India reached its highest level.
The latest figures also show a decline from nearly 29,000 encounters recorded during the corresponding period in FY2025, indicating a continued downward trend in irregular border crossings.
Sharp Decline at US Land Borders
CBP data highlights a steep fall in encounters involving Indian migrants at both the southern and northern US borders.
At the southwestern border with Mexico, authorities recorded 417 encounters through May FY2026. This represents a 99% decline from 30,109 encounters during the same period in FY2023.
Meanwhile, encounters at the northern border with Canada dropped to 2,250, a 91% decline compared with the corresponding period in FY2024.
Tougher Immigration Policies Linked to the Decline
Immigration experts attribute the fall in irregular migration to stricter US border enforcement and immigration policies introduced under the Trump administration.
According to Gilbert Guerra, an analyst at the Niskanen Center, the reduced likelihood of obtaining asylum after entering the United States through irregular routes has discouraged many people from attempting the journey.
He noted that irregular migration from India often involves substantial financial costs, making repeated attempts less feasible than for migrants travelling from countries closer to the US border.
Canada Remains a Transit Route
Although crossings through Canada have also declined, they remain higher than those at the Mexico border.
Experts say Canada’s large Indian diaspora continues to make it a preferred transit point for some migrants seeking to enter the United States.
Irregular Migration Still Higher Than Some Countries
Despite the overall decline, analysts expect irregular migration from India to remain comparatively higher than migration from countries such as Russia and China, reflecting ongoing demand for migration pathways to the United States.
The latest CBP figures indicate that while border encounters involving Indian migrants have reduced sharply since their 2023 peak, authorities continue to monitor migration trends across both land borders.
