US Deports 23 More Bangladeshi Nationals as Immigration Enforcement Intensifies

The United States has deported another 23 Bangladeshi nationals as part of its continuing enforcement against undocumented immigration, with the returnees arriving in Dhaka on a special flight on Wednesday, according to the Brac Migration Programme.

The deportees landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at approximately 11:00am, where they were received with support from the Expatriates’ Welfare Desk and Aviation Security. Brac officials provided immediate assistance, including counselling services and transportation to help the returnees reach their home districts.

Among those deported, 13 are from Noakhali, while three are from Sylhet. The remaining individuals come from several other districts, including Dhaka, Cox’s Bazar, Brahmanbaria, Munshiganj, Cumilla and Lakshmipur.


Officials involved in assisting the returnees said many had undertaken long and risky journeys to reach the United States, relying on irregular migration networks that took them through multiple countries in South and Central America.

According to Shariful Hasan, Associate Director of Brac’s Migration and Youth Platform, most of the deported Bangladeshis spent between Tk50 lakh and Tk65 lakh in an attempt to enter the United States.

Preliminary findings indicate that 20 of the returnees initially travelled to Brazil before moving through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala. From there, they crossed into Mexico and eventually entered the United States. Many reportedly travelled across 13 to 15 countries, often using buses and covering parts of the journey on foot.

One deportee reportedly travelled from South Africa to Brazil before following the same migration route, while another entered the United States through New York using a different pathway.

The returnees told officials that many who travelled through Brazil had initially entered the South American country with approval from Bangladesh's Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET). Others reportedly travelled on tourist visas before being guided by human trafficking networks and brokers onto irregular migration routes toward North America.


Some of the deportees managed to secure employment after entering the United States. However, they were later detained and deported after failing to meet US immigration requirements or legal residency conditions.


The latest deportation comes as US authorities continue to tighten immigration enforcement measures targeting undocumented migrants. Under American immigration law, individuals residing in the country without legal status may face removal following decisions by immigration courts or administrative authorities.


Those whose asylum applications are rejected can also be deported through procedures managed by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In recent months, US authorities have increasingly relied on chartered and special flights to return undocumented migrants to their countries of origin.


Migration experts have repeatedly warned prospective migrants against using irregular routes facilitated by brokers, citing the significant financial costs, physical dangers and legal risks involved. Journeys through multiple countries often expose migrants to exploitation, human trafficking, violence, harsh terrain and detention before they even reach their intended destination.

Organisations working with migrant communities have also stressed the importance of seeking legal migration pathways and verifying overseas employment opportunities through authorised government channels. They note that irregular migration frequently leaves families burdened with debt after paying large sums to brokers, while deported migrants often return home without recovering their financial investment.


The latest group of deportees highlights the continuing challenges surrounding irregular migration from Bangladesh, as authorities and migration support organisations continue to encourage safer and legal alternatives for overseas employment while assisting those who have been forced to return.