US agency has revoked status of 2.2 mn undocumented immigrants since 2025

USCIS says enforcement actions since January 2025 are nearly seven times the comparable total under Biden's final two years

President Donald Trump’s administration has taken actions to revoke or terminate the status of 2.2 million “illegal aliens” since he returned to the White House in January 2025, a US agency has said, marking the scale of the country’s immigration crackdown.

 

The figure, reported by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on October 29, is nearly seven times the number of comparable actions taken during the final two years of the Joe Biden administration, according to the agency.

 

“Since Jan. 20, 2025, USCIS has carried out immigration enforcement actions to revoke or terminate the status of approximately 2.2 million illegal aliens,” the agency said on Thursday.

  

However, the 2.2 million figure does not necessarily mean individuals have lost their legal status. Some of the measures, particularly those affecting humanitarian immigration programmes, are facing legal challenges. The number of people whose status has ultimately been terminated is not yet clear.

 

For foreign nationals, including Indians living in the US or planning to move there, the figures point to a more stringent immigration environment, with greater scrutiny of legal status, work authorisation and compliance with visa conditions.

 

What actions are included in the 2.2 million figure?

The USCIS figure combines several types of administrative and enforcement measures. These include:

 

Temporary Protected Status (TPS): The administration has initiated steps to end TPS for more than one million foreign nationals from 13 countries. The programme allows people from designated countries to stay and work temporarily in the US when conditions in their home countries make their return unsafe. Some termination decisions are being challenged in court.

 

Non-immigrant status applications: USCIS has denied requests to extend or change non-immigrant status where it found no legal basis for granting them.

 

Removal proceedings: The agency has issued Notices to Appear (NTAs), requiring certain foreign nationals to appear before an immigration judge in removal proceedings.

 

Work permits: The administration has ended automatic extensions of certain Employment Authorisation Documents (EADs), making it necessary for affected applicants to undergo further checks before receiving renewed work authorisation.

 

Humanitarian parole: The administration has moved to end certain categorical parole programmes and return to case-by-case decisions. One such programme had allowed around 500,000 nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to travel to the US after receiving prior authorisation.

 

These measures have different legal consequences. For instance, an NTA initiates removal proceedings but does not itself mean that a person has been deported. Similarly, efforts to terminate TPS do not necessarily mean that every affected individual has already lost protection, particularly where court orders have intervened. 

How does this differ from deportations and visa cancellations?

 

The 2.2 million figure should not be confused with the number of people deported from the US.

 

USCIS handles immigration benefits and status-related decisions, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is responsible for immigration arrests, detention and removals. The State Department separately handles visa issuance and revocations.

 

According to an ICE report cited in recent coverage, the agency deported around 421,182 people between October 2025 and August 24, 2026.

 

Separately, the White House said earlier in October that the administration had revoked more than 300,000 visas. This included around 4,000 visas linked to birth tourism and 6,000 held by foreign students who had committed crimes or had links to terrorism.

 

These figures represent separate enforcement activities and should not be added to the USCIS total as though they were a single count of people who lost their immigration status.

 

What does the crackdown mean for Indian nationals?

 

India is a major source of international students, skilled workers and employment-based visa applicants in the US. While the reported USCIS actions are concentrated in areas such as TPS and humanitarian parole, rather than being a count of Indian H-1B or Green Card holders who have lost status, the broader enforcement environment warrants attention.

 

Indian professionals working in the US, students and applicants seeking to change or extend their immigration status should pay particular attention to:

 

Visa and status validity: Keep track of visa expiry dates and the validity of the underlying immigration status. A visa stamp and permission to remain in the US are not the same thing.

 

Employment authorisation: Check whether an EAD renewal qualifies for any automatic extension or transitional protection. Do not assume that filing a renewal application automatically allows continued employment.

 

Compliance with visa conditions: Ensure that employment, study and other activities comply with the conditions attached to the relevant immigration category.

 

Official notices: Respond to USCIS communications within the specified deadlines and seek legal advice if issued an NTA or a notice proposing termination of immigration benefits.

 

The latest announcement does not establish that Indian H-1B workers, students or Green Card applicants have collectively faced 2.2 million status-related actions. Nor does it announce a blanket cancellation of their immigration benefits.

 

The larger concern is the administration's increased emphasis on reviewing immigration eligibility and enforcing existing requirements. For Indians planning to study, work or settle in the US, maintaining accurate documentation and complying with visa conditions remain important.