A total of 80 Nepali nationals were deported from the United States this week, marking one of the largest single deportation flights in recent months, according to the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Among those deported were 79 men and one woman.
The group arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday afternoon aboard a chartered flight arranged by U.S. authorities. Following their arrival, the deportees were handed over to the Nepal Police’s Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau for further inquiry, airport immigration officials said.
Of the 80 individuals, 10 carried valid travel documents, while 70 had been residing in the United States without legal status, according to the Department of Immigration.
Record Number Deported in 2025
Government data shows that the latest flight comes amid a dramatic rise in deportations of Nepali nationals from the U.S. In 2025 alone, a record 468 Nepalis were deported—the highest annual total to date. This figure is more than four times the total recorded during the entire Biden administration and surpasses the total deported during Donald Trump’s previous presidency.
During President Biden’s four-year term, 110 Nepalis were deported, compared to nearly 350 during Trump’s first term. By contrast, the 2025 figure alone exceeds both totals combined.
Deportation records indicate a sharp year-by-year increase: 23 in fiscal year (FY) 2021, 28 in FY 2022, 22 in FY 2023, and nearly 50 in FY 2024. Biden, who assumed office in 2021, oversaw one deportation charter flight that year carrying seven Nepalis. The previous surge occurred at the end of Trump’s first term, when 162 individuals were deported in FY 2019 and 97 in FY 2020.
December Sets New Monthly Record
December 2025 saw 98 Nepalis deported—the highest monthly total ever recorded. According to the TIA Immigration Office, 92 were men and six were women. Most were returned on a single charter flight carrying 75 people, while 23 others were deported individually throughout the month.
Other significant totals in 2025 included 80 deportations in November, 58 in May, and 53 in September.
With President Donald Trump beginning his second term, U.S. authorities have significantly tightened immigration enforcement, specifically targeting undocumented residents. This policy shift has placed many Nepali nationals at an increased risk of detention and removal.
Processing and Government Cooperation
Once returned, deportees are handed over to Nepal’s Department of Immigration, which refers them to the Human Trafficking Bureau for initial investigation. While most are released to family members after brief questioning, formal investigations continue if specific complaints are lodged.
The Nepali government has continued to cooperate with U.S. authorities by accepting its citizens. The Nepali Embassy in Washington, D.C., has played a central role in this process, issuing travel documents at the request of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for individuals lacking valid passports.
According to embassy spokesperson Aruna Ghising, 407 travel documents were issued in 2025, including 394 for Nepalis deported by ICE. The embassy also assisted 14 Nepalis stranded in Panama, Mexico, and Costa Rica along migration routes, providing free travel papers for their return to Nepal.
D. Dhungana
View More PostsDipendra Dhungana is a journalist based in Kathmandu with over a decade of experience in photojournalism. His work has been featured in numerous national and international outlets, showcasing the stories and resilience of the Nepali people. He is also a contributing journalist for NepYork.
Suraj Ghimire
View More PostsSuraj Ghimire is a Nepali journalist based in Kathmandu. He focuses on political, social, migration, and international issues. He has also worked with various national television networks in Nepal.
