Indian Students in Canada Revealed to Be Trafficked to the US from Colleges!

Hom Lamsal

India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused dozens of colleges in Canada and two institutions in Mumbai of involvement in human trafficking. The ED disclosed that it is investigating suspicions related to human trafficking. The network is alleged to have facilitated the illegal movement of students from Canada to the United States. The ED is probing violations of money laundering and foreign exchange laws in connection with the allegations. According to the ED, agents reportedly enrolled Indian students in Canadian colleges on student visas and then sent them to the US.

Once in Canada, instead of attending college, the students were allegedly smuggled illegally into the US. It has been reported that 112 colleges collaborated with one institution and more than 150 colleges with another institution to engage in human trafficking. Indian students reportedly paid $60,000 to $70,000 per person for the journey from Canada to the US. In the last three weeks, three Indian students have been murdered in Canada, which has fueled rising hostility toward Indian students in the country.

Amid rising diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, the issue of student and human trafficking highlights the significant presence of Indians in Canada. The ED uncovered a large human trafficking network through operations in Mumbai, Nagpur, Gandhinagar, and Vadodara. Two agents from Mumbai and Nagpur were reportedly sending 35,000 illegal immigrants abroad annually. The network is said to have mobilized 1,700 agents in Gujarat and 3,500 across India, with over 800 agents still active.

The number of Indian immigrants entering the US illegally is also notable. According to US Customs and Border Protection, incidents involving irregular arrivals of Indian immigrants at borders or airports reached an all-time high in the fiscal year 2023. Nearly 97,000 Indians crossed into the US via the Mexico border. While most such incidents typically occur at the US-Mexico border, approximately 44,000 Indian citizens reportedly entered the US via the US-Canada border in the fiscal year 2024. Many of these Indians were students in Canada who were smuggled into the US by intermediaries.

Notably, a report indicated that Indians were entering the US from Canada at a rate of four individuals per hour.