Policy Brief

Abstract

Of the 14 million undocumented people in the United States, 800,000 to 900,000 are South Asian. With approximately 6.5 million South Asians in the United States, roughly 1 in 8 South Asians is undocumented. 

Despite this reality, undocumented South Asians are frequently rendered invisible by the model minority myth. Like all undocumented communities, they face escalating attacks. The Trump Administration has shackled and deported undocumented Indians on military planes, denied Sikh detainees their articles of faith, detained South Asian student visa holders, revoked Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for refugees from Afghanistan and Nepal, and deported Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees, rendering them stateless. These events underscore the importance of acknowledging undocumented South Asians, who are often made invisible by the model minority myth. 

These harms underscore the urgency of recognizing undocumented South Asians as an impacted community. This brief explores what researchers know about undocumented South Asians and provides messaging and policy recommendations to policymakers, advocates, and community leaders.