The Trump administration’s latest immigration plan, which includes levying fines of up to $998 per day on migrants who fail to leave the U.S. after receiving a final deportation order, could have a devastating impact on approximately 3,000 Nepali immigrants currently residing in the country. This policy aims to penalize those who defy deportation orders—a group that includes a significant number of Nepalis, many of whom have built lives in the U.S. over the past two decades.
Data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) reveals that over the last 20 years, around 3,500 Nepalis have received deportation orders from U.S. immigration courts, with nearly 40 percent—approximately 1,400—listing New York as their residence at the time of the ruling, according to the TRAC report.
The Nepali community’s vulnerability stems from a mix of expired legal protections and ongoing immigration challenges. Of the roughly 3,000 Nepalis still in the U.S. despite deportation orders, about 1,500 are shielded by Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a humanitarian program granted after Nepal’s 2015 earthquake, while another 1,400 live without any legal protection.
Recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data highlights that 1,356 Nepalis with deportation orders issued since June 2015 remain in the country without TPS. If Trump’s plan is enacted, these individuals would immediately face crushing daily fines, accumulating debts that could exceed $1 million over five years due to retroactive penalties allowed under the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act.
Geographically, the impact spans beyond New York. Statistics show that among the 3,500 Nepalis with deportation orders over the past two decades, around 500 resided in California, 350 in Texas, 200 in Maryland, and 150 in Georgia at the time of their court rulings. However, no precise data tracks their current locations, as many may have relocated after their hearings.
Of these individuals, approximately 2,200 were never detained, 800 were released after detention, and 550 received deportation orders while in custody—most of whom have likely returned to Nepal, as reported by TRAC. Legal representation also varied: about 2,300 hired lawyers, while 1,200 faced proceedings without counsel, potentially exacerbating their challenges in navigating the system, as highlighted in the TRAC report.
The timing of deportation orders sheds further light on the trend. The peak came in 2019, when 350 Nepalis received such rulings—121 of them New York residents—reflecting heightened enforcement during Trump’s first administration, which saw 900 Nepalis ordered deported over four years, according to the TRAC report.
By contrast, under Biden’s four-year tenure, roughly 600 faced similar orders, with 40 issued in the first three months of the current fiscal year alone, as per the TRAC report. For those affected, the proposed fines represent an existential threat. Many Nepalis work in low-wage jobs where $998 equates to a month’s savings or more.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
