U.S. Deports Record Number of Nepalis in a Single Month

The number of Nepali nationals deported from the United States reached a monthly record high in January 2026, with 101 individuals sent back to Nepal, according to the Department of Immigration. This brings the total number of deported Nepalis from the U.S. to 585 so far.

Among those deported in January, 97 were men and only 4 were women, continuing a trend in which male migrants make up the overwhelming majority of returnees. The department said the number has been steadily increasing in recent months — 98 people were deported in December 2025 and 80 in November.

Coinciding with the first anniversary of President Donald Trump’s current term, U.S. deported 80 Nepalis in a single chartered flight in January 2026 — 79 men and one woman. Previously, a group of 75 Nepalis (69 men and 6 women) was deported in December 2025 on a similar flight.

According to official data, deportations throughout 2025 were as follows: 6 in January, 18 in February, 32 in March, 26 in April, 58 in May, 42 in June, 17 in July, 16 in August, 53 in September, and 38 in October.

Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, deportees are handed over to the Human Trafficking and Investigation Bureau for initial questioning. The bureau releases most individuals to their families after routine inquiries, though deeper investigations are launched if formal complaints are filed. So far, 24 such complaints have been registered.

Investigations have revealed that most deported Nepalis had entered the U.S. illegally through Mexico, paying between NPR 8 million and 10 million to human smugglers. The bureau’s inquiries have largely centered on domestic agents, with officials noting that tracing foreign networks requires diplomatic cooperation.

Nepal has been accepting its deported nationals without objection, with the Nepali Embassy in Washington, D.C. playing a key role in documentation. Once U.S. authorities request travel papers for deportees, the embassy facilitates the process promptly. Officials said the number of Nepalis being deported through third countries is also gradually increasing.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is preparing to deport another large group of 121 Nepalis on February 21, 2026, through a chartered deportation flight, according to sources obtained by Khasokhas. If carried out as planned, this would mark the largest single deportation of Nepalis to date. Details about the flight schedule and aircraft type have not been disclosed.

(Editor’s note: The figures presented are preliminary. Data from Nepal’s Department of Immigration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Nepal’s Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau may vary slightly due to differences in record-keeping methods.)