AHMEDABAD: Delays, detentions and the constant threat of deportation have turned the American dream into a cruel nightmare for thousands of undocumented Indians in the US. They are facing the predicament mainly due to a system that leaves them waiting for years to get Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) clearance, lack of which can hamper their asylum process.
Some face hearings as far off as 2027, while others, detained at the borders, are stuck in detention camps, say sources. Stranded in a legal no-man’s land, they face the spectre of deportation if caught for staying illegally in the US.
A staggering 41,000 Indians applied for asylum in the US in 2023, but many will have to wait for years for a hearing before ICE, the US federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws and investigating if the individual poses a threat to national security or public safety.
According to legal document of an American agency, a man from Gujarat granted “alien status” in Atlanta was granted a hearing date in March 2027. He had applied for the hearing in Jan this year.
A statement by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about the man reads, “You are not a citizen or national of the United States. You are a native of India and a citizen of India.” Official documents state that if he gets apprehended for staying illegally before his hearing is held, he risks deportation to India.
In another case, a couple from Gujarat’s Mehsana district was detained with their child after crossing the US-Canada border illegally in June. They were put in a detention camp and their case is pending with ICE. When the couple approached the ICE office last week, they were not allowed to enter. They recently got to know from a US agency officer that their hearing has been scheduled for Aug 2026.
Meanwhile, human smuggling networks are advising clients, especially from Gujarat, to avoid citing political persecution as a reason for asylum. A source in the human smuggling network said, “US officials will strictly scrutinise people who seek asylum citing political harassment. They are more likely to face deportation, too.” Videos obtained by TOI show Gujaratis illegally entering the US and falsely claiming to be workers of opposition parties, when caught.
This issue was recently debated in Rajya Sabha and saw government accusing asylum seekers of “maligning the country for personal gain”.