The number of Indian nationals attempting to enter the United States illegally from Canada fell significantly in the fiscal year 2025, official data shows, signalling a dramatic reversal of a trend that had reached historic highs the year before.
According to figures from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), total encounters at the northern border between October 2024 and September 2025 dropped to 85,747 from 198,929 in the previous fiscal year, a decrease of about 57 per cent. Within this overall decline, the number of Indians apprehended plunged even more sharply, falling from 43,764 in fiscal 2024 to 14,054 in fiscal 2025 — a nearly 68 per cent reduction. Indians also made up a smaller share of total border encounters, falling from roughly 22 per cent to just over 16 per cent.
The steep reduction in illegal crossings by Indian nationals comes amid heightened enforcement measures by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The government has taken a tougher stance on irregular migration, stepping up border security and enforcement actions.
Among its measures has been the imposition of tariffs on Canada, aimed at pressing Canadian authorities to address the flow of migrants who enter that country and later attempt to cross into the United States without authorization. U.S. officials have criticised what they see as lax controls on temporary visas and irregular migration in Canada, and Trump’s policies have sought to shift some of the responsibility for managing cross-border migration onto Canadian institutions.
Canadian authorities, for their part, have responded to the issue by tightening oversight and enforcement of their own immigration and visa systems. A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said the government took action once it became apparent that elements of its temporary resident visa programme were being exploited for irregular migration. The spokesperson described addressing such abuses and strengthening border integrity as a priority, noting collaborative efforts with the United States and other partners on visa integrity, border management and safe, orderly migration.
Analysts and officials say the 2025 figures bring the pattern of illegal crossings by Indian nationals closer to earlier levels. In the fiscal year 2022, Indians accounted for around 16 per cent of all unauthorised border crossings at the Canada-U.S. border, a proportion that held steady into 2023 before rising sharply in the following year. The reversal in 2025 suggests that a combination of U.S. pressure, Canadian policy adjustments and enhanced enforcement has had a tangible impact on migration dynamics at the northern frontier. Nonetheless, experts caution that the data only reflect those apprehended by border officers and not the total number of people who may have crossed undetected.
The decline has unfolded against a broader context of evolving migration patterns and enforcement strategies. In recent years, the northern border has drawn growing attention as a route for migrants from beyond the Western Hemisphere, including Indian nationals who often travel to Canada on student, work or temporary visas and then attempt to move onward into the United States. Smugglers and human trafficking networks have sought to exploit these pathways, sometimes advertising services on social media platforms and charging significant sums for arrangements to facilitate illegal crossings. While such networks continue to operate, tighter border controls and intergovernmental cooperation appear to have contributed to reducing the scale of attempts in the latest fiscal period.
The drop in attempted illegal crossings by Indian nationals reflects broader shifts in international migration enforcement and bilateral cooperation between Canada and the United States. Both countries face ongoing challenges in balancing border security with migration pressures, and the 2025 figures may prompt further policy responses aimed at addressing irregular migration while safeguarding legal travel and residency pathways.
