U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that a charter flight carrying 35 Nepali nationals—33 irregular entrants and two visa violators—departed Alexandria, Louisiana and landed in Kathmandu in the early hours of 20 November. Among the deportees was at least one former F-1 student who had fallen out of status. Nepali authorities noted that the end of Nepal’s TPS designation on 5 August 2025 has left thousands vulnerable to removal, spurring smugglers to market risky back-door routes through Latin America.
According to Nepal’s Department of Immigration, the migrants paid up to NPR 8 million (about US $60,000) each to traffickers who guided them through as many as eight transit countries before they crossed the U.S. southwest border. U.S. officials say the operation is part of a broader effort to clear a growing non-Mexican detainee backlog and to deter future irregular migration by demonstrating swift removals.
![ICE Charter Flight Removes 35 Nepali Nationals, Highlighting Post-TPS Enforcement Push]()
For U.S. employers, the flight underscores heightened scrutiny of status violations in the post-TPS environment. Firms with Nepalese national staff—particularly those on OPT or H-1B status—should ensure timely extensions and maintain immaculate Public Access Files. Mobility advisers also recommend proactive counseling for employees whose extended families may attempt irregular entry, explaining legal alternatives such as Diversity Visas or employer-sponsored petitions.
On the Nepal side, the large-scale removal has renewed pressure on Kathmandu to crack down on human-smuggling rings. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said it is negotiating a labour-mobility agreement with the United States but warned that irregular entrants will be barred from future legal opportunities.
While the numbers are small relative to total U.S. removals, country-specific charter flights often have an outsized deterrent effect. Global mobility teams should monitor ICE’s charter schedule; additional flights are rumored for South Asia and West Africa in the coming weeks.
According to Nepal’s Department of Immigration, the migrants paid up to NPR 8 million (about US $60,000) each to traffickers who guided them through as many as eight transit countries before they crossed the U.S. southwest border. U.S. officials say the operation is part of a broader effort to clear a growing non-Mexican detainee backlog and to deter future irregular migration by demonstrating swift removals.
For U.S. employers, the flight underscores heightened scrutiny of status violations in the post-TPS environment. Firms with Nepalese national staff—particularly those on OPT or H-1B status—should ensure timely extensions and maintain immaculate Public Access Files. Mobility advisers also recommend proactive counseling for employees whose extended families may attempt irregular entry, explaining legal alternatives such as Diversity Visas or employer-sponsored petitions.
On the Nepal side, the large-scale removal has renewed pressure on Kathmandu to crack down on human-smuggling rings. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said it is negotiating a labour-mobility agreement with the United States but warned that irregular entrants will be barred from future legal opportunities.
While the numbers are small relative to total U.S. removals, country-specific charter flights often have an outsized deterrent effect. Global mobility teams should monitor ICE’s charter schedule; additional flights are rumored for South Asia and West Africa in the coming weeks.
