On January 20, Donald Trump took the oath of office as President of the United States. Two weeks later, the process of deporting illegal immigrants began.
This included Indians who had entered the US illegally. Three military planes returned such individuals. According to a report by The Hindu, among those deported, about 38 percent were from Punjab, 33 percent from Haryana, and 22 percent from Gujarat. The rest were from other states.
Some returnees from Punjab and Haryana spoke to the media. In both states, agents facilitating these journeys were booked – and in some cases, arrested. But in Gujarat, no such action was taken. Returnees there are under pressure from both agents and the police to avoid speaking to the media.
Seventy-two people from Gujarat have returned – 58 of them part of 18 families. The rest had migrated alone, leaving their families in India.
These families typically consisted of four to five members, such as a couple and their children. One such case is Jagdish Patel, who went to the US illegally with his wife and two children. When they were detained after crossing the border, Patel said 12 other Gujarati families were already in US custody.
Newslaundry met six families from Mehsana, Gandhinagar, and Sabarkantha in Gujarat who had attempted the illegal journey. Some families had five or six members. One 60-year-old man travelled with five relatives – half of whom were already living in the US illegally.
Most families refused to speak. A family of five from Mehsana declined to comment, saying their son was mentally distressed after being deported. Others offered excuses or declined outright. Two individuals agreed to speak anonymously, saying they had been warned not to talk to journalists.
Kalol in Gandhinagar district is a hub for illegal migration to the US, with many surrounding villages having over half their populations settled there. From this region, Sunil Gohil* and his wife Naina* attempted the journey with their three-year-old child. This was their second attempt. In early 2024, they had reached Turkey but were forced to return after the route ahead closed.
A few months later, in December 2024, they tried again – agreeing to pay an agent Rs 80 lakh. After arriving in the US, they were detained. Naina said the agent had assured them this was part of the process: they would be held for 10–15 days and then released. But that didn’t happen. Naina and her child were kept in one room, her husband in another. After 10 to 12 days, they were deported.
“We went for our child’s future,” Naina said. “In our society, it’s hard to get married without being settled in America. He’s still young, so we thought it was the right time. We felt like we’d achieved the American dream – but now, it’s shattered.”
The second family is Jagdish Patel’s*. He had gone with his wife and two sons, aged nine and four.
“When US officials detained us, there were already 12 Gujarati families there. I was separated from my wife and children. I went only for my kids’ future,” he said.
When asked how he realised they were being deported, Patel said: “All the men were shackled and taken to a plane. No one told us where we were going, but after six hours I understood we weren’t staying in America. Our hands and legs were chained. Some were given seats, others sat or slept on the floor. If someone needed to eat or urinate, they would briefly unlock the cuffs. I travelled like that for 40 hours. Now I’m too afraid to try again.”
Patel and his wife had agreed to pay their agent Rs 1 crore.
In contrast to other states, Gujarat-based agents cover all expenses until the individual reaches the US; families pay only after arrival. As a result, those deported from Gujarat haven’t spent a rupee.
Illegal migration from Gujarat to the US is widespread. To understand what the government is doing, we sought a meeting with Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi. After waiting an hour, officials told us they would get back to us – no meeting was granted.
A Gujarat police officer told us no cases have been registered because no complaints were made. “Those who left had legal tourist visas,” he said. But when asked who issued the visas, he named individuals who don’t exist. In Gujarat, agents are often family members.
The officer also mentioned an unusual trend: “No one is planning to go to America for the next six months. Astrologers here say Trump won’t remain President, and only then will the routes open up again.”
Why did these families go to America? What did they endure on the way? What happened after they were caught and deported?
Hear their stories, told in their own words.
*Names changed to protect identity
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