Bhutanese refugees fight US deportation after decades of displacement
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Robin Gurung, a former Bhutanese refugee now an organizer with Asian Refugees United (ARU) in the United States, is leading efforts to defend fellow refugees facing unexpected detention and deportation.
Gurung’s family was among 100,000 Lhotshampa, a Nepali-speaking ethnic minority, expelled from Bhutan in the early 1990s due to discriminatory policies. They spent years in refugee camps in Nepal before resettling in the US in 2012, hoping to rebuild their lives.
In March 2025, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began detaining former Bhutanese refugees, raising fears of returning to statelessness, a condition many faced after being forced from Bhutan. ARU formed to mobilize the community, coordinating legal support and providing direct assistance to affected families. Organizers translated for elders, tracked detentions, and accompanied people to court, building a rapid response network.
As of the report’s filing, ICE had deported over 75 former Bhutanese refugees, sending them to the border between India and Nepal, where they again faced statelessness. ARU is now pursuing legal action, including a Freedom of Information Act request, and international advocacy with the United Nations Refugee Agency to address the crisis. They are also working to build local policy changes and connect the Bhutanese experience to broader movements fighting statelessness, aiming to ensure no one faces exile alone.
