ICE Detains Indian National in New Jersey Over Charges Including Alleged Sexual Assault of Minor

United States immigration authorities have detained an Indian national in New Jersey who is facing multiple charges, including the alleged sexual assault of a child under 13, according to officials.

In a post on X, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said the individual, identified as Vodela Yashaswi Kottapalli, is accused of sexual assault of a child under 13 years of age, shoplifting and public disorder.

The agency stated, "Vodela Yashaswi Kottapalli, a criminal illegal alien from India, has pending charges for sexual assault and larceny in New Jersey. We'll keep him in custody pending removal proceedings."

The agency did not disclose the date of arrest, the county where the case has been filed, or further details of the alleged offences.

Criminal charges are allegations, and the case will be decided through the judicial process.

Why is ICE intensifying detention and removal of non-citizens under Trump 2.0?

Under Trump 2.0, ICE has been heavily cracking down on illegal aliens in the country. US authorities have stated that individuals accused or convicted of serious offences, particularly those involving minors, are prioritised for detention and removal.

Under US law, non-citizens facing certain criminal charges can be held in immigration custody while their cases proceed in court.

The detention comes against the backdrop of a significant increase in the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States.

The Centre informed Parliament that more than 3,800 Indians were deported from the US in 2025 after verification of nationality and coordination between the two governments.

The government has not released a detailed breakdown separating deportations linked to criminal charges from those arising solely from immigration violations.

Previously, ICE had also shared details last December of an Indian truck driver involved in a fatal motorway accident in Oregon that killed two people in the United States.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Kumar entered the country "illegally" through Arizona in November 2022 and was subsequently granted work authorisation and a commercial driving license by California state authorities.

The case followed several similar accidents involving Indian nationals driving heavy goods vehicles in America, with US authorities highlighting at least three other fatal crashes involving undocumented Indian lorry drivers in Florida and California in recent months.

Formed in 2003 through a merger of the investigative and interior enforcement elements of the former US Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ICE now has more than 20,000 law enforcement and support personnel in more than 400 offices in the United States and around the world.

The agency has an annual budget of approximately $8 billion, primarily devoted to three operational directorates -- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA).

A fourth directorate - Management and Administration (M&A) - supports the three operational branches to advance the ICE mission.

(With inputs from ANI)