Data | Sharp rise in Indians illegally crossing U.S. northern border from Canada

The number of illegal Indian migrants encountered by U.S. officials in 2023 reached close to 1 lakh, marking a significant increase since 2020. The trend is noteworthy, especially with the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, where illegal border crossings have become a prominent issue.

A question that was raised in the Rajya Sabha a few days ago has put the spotlight on the issue of Indians illegally entering the United States. In his reply to a question, the Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan, quoted data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and said that U.S. officials encountered close to 1 lakh illegal Indian migrants just this year. This trend of thousands of Indians trying to enter the U.S. illegally is new; it has been seen in the last four years.

A decade ago, a little over 1,500 Indian illegal migrants were stopped by the U.S. border authorities (Chart 1). The number increased marginally in the following years but remained below the 10,000 mark till 2019. But since 2020, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of Indians trying to cross the border illegally with the figure touching 96,917 in 2023.

Chart 1 shows the number of Indians attempting to enter the U.S. illegally.

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This surge in the number of illegal migrants gains prominence as the U.S. presidential elections are scheduled next year and illegal border crossings is one of the top issues for U.S. voters. Donald Trump, who is among the leading Republican presidential candidates, has blamed U.S. President Joe Biden for reversing many of his immigration-related policies.

In general, most illegal border crossings are reported from the southwest, i.e., the U.S.-Mexico border. In 2023, over 77% of all illegal migrants entering the U.S. were apprehended from the southwest border with the northern border — along Canada — accounting for roughly 6%. This was true of illegal Indian migrants too, but lately, an increasing number of them are choosing to enter the U.S. through the northern border (Chart 2). The number of undocumented Indians entering through the northern border increased from less than 100 in 2014 to over 30,000 in 2023, almost matching the number of those who tried to enter from the southwest border. 

Chart 2 shows the border-wise number of illegal migrants — from India and overall — who are attempting to enter the U.S.