KATHMANDU, Feb 24: The United States is preparing to deport more than 100 Nepali nationals to Nepal in a single batch, although the process has reportedly been delayed by a few days.
The group was initially scheduled to be returned to Nepal via a deportation flight on February 21. However, sources indicate that the process has been postponed. The Embassy of Nepal in Washington, D.C., has confirmed that it has completed identity verification for more than 100 Nepali nationals in connection with the deportation.
If the final number remains unchanged, this would mark the largest single deportation of Nepalis to date. The increase follows U.S. immigration enforcement policies targeting undocumented migrants.
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Details regarding the flight schedule and the type of aircraft to be used have not been disclosed. Large-scale deportations from the United States are typically carried out through chartered flights.
During President Donald Trump’s second term, nearly 600 Nepalis have been deported from the United States so far. Previously, the highest number deported in a single batch was 80, who arrived in Kathmandu on January 20 via a chartered flight. That group included 79 men and one woman.
According to Nepal’s Department of Immigration, 101 Nepalis were deported from the United States in January 2026 alone, including four women. In December, 98 Nepalis were deported, and in November, 80 were returned.
Data from 2025 show a steady rise in deportations: six 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.
The majority of those deported are men, with women accounting for a small proportion. In recent months, deportations have increased sharply, often involving large groups returned on chartered flights.
Most deportees reportedly entered the United States irregularly through Mexico, paying human traffickers between Rs 8 million and Rs 10 million.
Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, deported individuals are handed over by immigration authorities to Nepal’s Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau. Following preliminary questioning, they are generally released to their families. A detailed investigation proceeds only if a formal complaint is filed. To date, approximately two dozen complaints have been registered. Investigations appear to be largely focused on agents operating within Nepal, and the number of complaints remains low relative to the total number of deportations.
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