Since President Trump took office in January 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported that 47 Nepali nationals—including green card holders—were deemed inadmissible at U.S. ports of entry, such as airports, through May 2025. This information comes from a recent CBP report obtained by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). These individuals were stopped due to concerns about their eligibility to enter the United States.
The CBP provided a monthly breakdown of these cases. In February 2025, 14 Nepalis were stopped, including one green card holder. Of these, six were paroled into the U.S. for temporary entry, four were crew members, three withdrew their visa applications and returned to Nepal from the airport, and one was placed in expedited removal proceedings. Two of the crew members were detained directly from their flights.
In March, six Nepalis were stopped. Four withdrew their visa applications and returned home, while two were crew members. In April, 21 Nepalis were deemed inadmissible: 18 withdrew their applications and returned to Nepal, one was placed in expedited removal, and two were crew members. Nineteen of these individuals were Nepali immigrants seeking various forms of U.S. entry. In May, six Nepalis were stopped—three withdrew their applications, and three were identified as crew members.
Since the fiscal year began in October 2024, a total of 200 Nepali nationals have been stopped at U.S. ports of entry through May 2025. This includes five green card holders, 37 crew members, one asylee, and 153 individuals with other visas. Of these, 139 withdrew their visa applications and returned to Nepal, likely to avoid legal complications. Twelve were placed in expedited removal proceedings, 11 were paroled into the U.S., and six received Notices to Appear in court, initiating deportation proceedings.
From the time President Trump assumed office through the end of May 2025, a total of 50,071 individuals arrived at U.S. ports of entry and were initially found “inadmissible.” Under the Trump administration, the largest group was Mexican nationals, followed by Canadians, Chinese, and Indian citizens who arrived without proper documentation. Under President Biden, the largest groups had been Venezuelans, Mexicans, and Cubans.
As of the end of May 2025, among those deemed “inadmissible,” 10,673 noncitizens were paroled into the U.S., and 2,351 were issued Notices to Appear in Immigration Court and allowed entry by CBP’s Office of Field Operations (OFO). The top field offices paroling individuals into the country were San Diego and San Francisco, while the leading offices issuing NTAs were Laredo and New York.
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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.
