A total of 63 Nepalis have been deported from the United States since Donald Trump assumed his second term as president.

The US began its deportation drive targeting undocumented immigrants on January 22, the day after Trump’s inauguration. On the first day, one Nepali was deported. Since then, seven women and 56 men have been returned to Nepal in phases, according to the immigration office at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

According to the office, six deportees arrived in January, 20 in February, 30 in March, and seven in April (as of Thursday). Airport Immigration Chief Tirtha Raj Bhattarai said eight people were deported together on March 5 via a chartered flight, while the remaining 55 arrived on regular flights.

Once in Nepal, the deportees are handed over to the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau of Nepal Police for further investigation.

Most of those deported had reached the US through human trafficking routes—passing through countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa before entering the US via Mexico—after paying traffickers between Rs5 million and Rs10 million. Most are from western Nepal, particularly Rukum, Rolpa, Pyuthan, Dang, and Arghakhanchi.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dipendra GC of the Anti-Human Trafficking Bureau, deportees rarely disclose the trafficking networks behind their journeys. “We are trying to trace the smuggling rackets, but most deportees only share information about their route, expenses, and hardships in the US,” he said.

The US deported illegal immigrants occasionally even in the past. However, the Trump administration, through Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), ramped up its deportation campaign against undocumented migrants from countries including Nepal. From 2021 to 2024, 140 Nepalis had been deported: 38 in 2021, 24 in 2022, 25 in 2023, and 53 in 2024.

ICE has been actively arresting individuals with final deportation orders, including those issued after June 24, 2015. Over 3,500 Nepalis currently have deportation orders, with an estimated 2,000 living in the US under Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

Nepal’s embassy in Washington, DC, is coordinating with US authorities to provide travel documents and facilitate the return of deportees.

ICE’s deportation list includes over 1.4 million undocumented immigrants from several countries, with the largest numbers from Mexico, El Salvador, India, Guatemala, Honduras, and Venezuela. These individuals mostly reside in US states such as California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois.