Why Are Indian Parents Leaving Their Children at the US Border?
#News Bureau May 1,2025
Indian Parents Abandon Minors at the US-Mexico Border in Bid for Green Cards: Shocking Number of Rescued Children Revealed — Here’s the Full Story
A growing number of Indian families are abandoning their minor children at the US-Mexico border in a desperate attempt to secure Green Cards. These children, often carrying nothing more than a slip of paper with their parents’ contact information, are left alone in a foreign land to trigger asylum claims on humanitarian grounds.
Between October 2024 and February 2025, US Border Security apprehended at least 77 unaccompanied Indian minors at the border. Among them, 22 were caught en route to Canada, while others were intercepted deeper within the United States. Most of these children are aged between 12 and 17, though alarmingly, some have been as young as six.
A Times of India report revealed that many families, particularly from Gujarat, have admitted to using this risky method. One notable case from Mehsana involved a lawyer and his wife who illegally entered the US during the pandemic, leaving their two-year-old son behind in India. Three years later, the child was smuggled into the US by a relative and abandoned at the Texas border with only a note bearing his parents’ details.
Parents often justify these drastic measures by claiming that early migration allows their children to access better education and career opportunities in the US. However, this practice has come under intense scrutiny, especially as the Trump administration tightened immigration policies, vowing to crack down on illegal migration. New policies include efforts to locate and deport these minors, and in some cases, prosecute those involved.
The situation is becoming increasingly perilous. According to The Guardian, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) now actively tracks such cases, with some children facing immediate deportation. A stark example cited is that of a two-year-old US citizen who was wrongfully deported to Honduras without proper legal procedures.
Although the US administration claims these actions are for the welfare of children, reports suggest otherwise. This year, funding for legal assistance to unaccompanied minors has been slashed, despite court interventions. Additionally, the federal agency responsible for these children has begun sharing sensitive data with ICE, raising further concerns about their safety and rights.
For Indian families, the gamble of abandoning children at the border poses immense legal and humanitarian risks. The harsh realities of US immigration enforcement mean that many children endure long, dangerous journeys, often relying on strangers. Once apprehended, they face uncertain futures in detention centers where ensuring their safety and well-being remains a serious challenge.
In the pursuit of a better life, families are making heartbreaking choices—but the consequences can be far more severe than anticipated.
