KATHMANDU, June 8: The US government has deported a large number of Nepali nationals who were residing there illegally.
They are being sent back on a chartered US flight and are scheduled to land this afternoon (Sunday) at Tribhuvan International Airport. This is reportedly the largest group of Nepalis ever deported from the US at one time.
According to Anjan Neupane, spokesperson for the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport, the Nepali Embassy had informed them about the deportation a week earlier.
Trump administration deports 126 Nepalis in four months
However, he noted that the exact number of deportees cannot be confirmed until the plane lands. “The letter we received mentions that they violated U.S. immigration laws, but it does not clearly state the nature of their entry or other specific reasons,” said Nyaupane.
The number of deportations of Nepalis from the US surged significantly after President Donald Trump began his second term and adopted a stricter immigration policy.
According to the Department of Immigration’s data, between January and May 2025 alone, 140 Nepalis have already been deported. This includes 6 in January, 20 in February, 30 in March, 26 in April, and 58 in May.
This is a much higher figure compared to previous years. As per department records, 35 Nepalis were deported in 2021, 22 in 2022, 24 in 2023, and 52 in 2024. Most of those deported had entered the US illegally after paying large sums to agents or human traffickers.
After landing at the airport, the deportees will be handed over to the Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau of the Nepal Police by the Immigration Office. Authorities will question them about how they reached the U.S., through whom they traveled, and whether or not they were defrauded by agents, and will also provide counseling.
