US deports 18 Uzbek nationals as migration enforcement continues
The United States has deported 18 Uzbek nationals for violating US immigration laws, according to Uzbekistan’s Dunyo news agency.
A flight carrying the deportees arrived in Tashkent on the evening of August 1 after Uzbek and US authorities coordinated their return. Officials confirmed the identities of the individuals, completed the required documentation and arranged their transfer to Uzbekistan.
The latest deportation follows two similar operations earlier this year. In March, 72 Uzbek nationals were returned from the United States, followed by another 26 in May. The three operations bring the total number of Uzbek citizens deported from the US this year to 116.
Deportations rise as enforcement expands
The removals come amid broader US efforts to curb illegal migration. In February, the US State Department imposed visa restrictions on the executives of two Uzbek companies, accusing them of facilitating irregular migration routes through Central America.
The US government has also announced plans to complete additional sections of the barrier along the US-Mexico border within the next three years, with artificial intelligence technology expected to support surveillance and border security operations.
Official US data show deportations of Uzbek nationals have increased sharply in recent years.
According to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), authorities deported 572 Uzbek citizens during the 2024 fiscal year, compared with 88 in fiscal year 2023. The figure stood at 21 in 2022 and 55 in 2021.
US authorities have previously said that around 17,000 Uzbek nationals entered the country illegally during 2023. Over the same period, about 50,000 people from Central Asian countries crossed the US border without authorisation, according to US officials.
