By NRN Times Desk
New York, USA, Dec 7

Nepali communities in the United States and across the world are entering a tense period. Washington’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepal by August 5, 2025, combined with a sharp rise in deportations and political turmoil back home, is forcing many families to rethink their futures abroad.

TPS, first granted after the 2015 earthquake, has allowed thousands of Nepalis to live and work legally in the US for nearly a decade. The US Department of Homeland Security now says conditions in Nepal have “improved enough,” and TPS will end at 11:59 pm on August 5, 2025. Lawyers warn that those who do not secure another status could face removal proceedings, especially as the Trump administration ramps up enforcement. Guides aimed specifically at Nepalis in TPS are already circulating, outlining last-minute options such as student visas, work visas, family petitions, or asylum where possible.

At the same time, deportations of Nepali nationals from the US have surged. By early June 2025, 140 Nepalis had already been deported, more than double the total for all of 2024. In September, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arranged a charter flight to return 37 Nepalis in a single day, the largest such group on record, according to Nepal’s Department of Immigration. Community advocates in cities like Dallas, New York, and Atlanta say fear has risen, especially among mixed-status families where some members are citizens and others are not.

Despite this pressure, the US Nepali diaspora remains both large and economically important. A recent study estimated there are 185,000 to 215,000 people of Nepali origin in the United States, sending about 1.28 billion dollars in remittances back to Nepal in a single year. Many work in healthcare, hospitality, trucking, and tech, and they are now juggling legal uncertainty with responsibilities to families in Nepal who depend on their earnings.

Across the Atlantic and in the Pacific, Nepalis in Australia, Europe, Canada, and the UK are also closely watching developments. In Australia, local media have highlighted how the Nepali community is following political unrest in Nepal and worrying about relatives amid protests led by Gen Z against corruption and social media restrictions. In Europe, the 16th NRNA European Regional Conference in Malta and the 2025 Global Conclave in Kathmandu focused heavily on NRN rights, investment, and political participation, signaling a more organized global lobby for diaspora issues.

New organizations are also appearing in North America. In late September, the Prabas Nepali Samparka Samiti America elected its first Central Executive Committee, with a mandate to “unify and empower” Nepalis across the United States and coordinate responses to immigration and social challenges.In Australia, NRNA’s national council is pushing ahead with a unity convention after internal disputes, again with the goal of presenting a stronger common voice.

For ordinary Nepalis abroad, the message is clear: the rules in host countries are changing fast, while politics at home remains volatile. Legal counseling, community organizing, and closer coordination between diaspora groups like NRNA and local Nepali associations will likely decide how well Nepalis in the US and other countries can navigate this new phase.

Sources: Department of Homeland Security notices on TPS Nepal; Kathmandu Post; VisaVerge; NEPYORK Resource Center; The Annapurna Express; NRNA reports; Nepalism.com; The Morning News; Khabarhub; ABC News.