KATHMANDU, Jan 24: President Donald Trump’s push to implement his large-scale deportation plan has sent shockwaves through immigrant communities, including the Nepali diaspora in the US. Nearly 3,000 Nepali nationals are at risk of deportation within the next six months, leaving the future uncertain for thousands more.
According to data from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), 1,365 Nepalis have already received final orders for removal but remain in the U.S. without legal protection. These individuals, who entered the country after June 24, 2015, do not qualify for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or other legal safeguards and are among the top priorities for deportation.
In total, nearly 3,500 Nepalis have received deportation orders from U.S. immigration courts. Of these, around 2,000 have reportedly left the U.S., been deported, adjusted their status, or are protected under TPS. Approximately 1,500 individuals with final removal orders remain shielded by TPS, according to U.S.-based Nepali journalist Kishor Panthi. However, they too will face deportation once TPS is terminated.
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According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, approximately 19,000 Nepali nationals currently live in the U.S. under TPS. Many have transitioned to other visa statuses, but those who still rely on TPS could face immediate deportation after June 24, as no additional legal proceedings would be required for their removal.
Without TPS, individuals with final removal orders will become a priority for ICE's deportation efforts.
It is unclear how many Nepalis have entered the U.S. illegally through alternative land routes. Nepalis with pending asylum or immigration applications, however, are in a comparatively safer position, as ICE cannot deport individuals with active cases, even if TPS is terminated. Nonetheless, uncertainty hangs over thousands whose futures depend on the outcomes of Trump’s immigration policies.
Newly-elected President Trump has announced to run a mass deportation campaign against illegal immigrants as per his election pledge. On Thursday alone, U.S. authorities arrested 538 migrants and deported hundreds of "illegal immigrants" in a large-scale operation, days after President Donald Trump began his second term, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
While the deportation plan has caused widespread concern, some Nepalis in the U.S. remain hopeful about finding potential legal pathways to adjust their immigration status.
