A record number of Indians are illegally entering the US through Mexico
October 30, 2023
A record number of Indian asylum seekers are crossing the United States-Mexico border, contributing to the challenges faced by the Biden administration in controlling illegal border crossings.
Indian migrants: Around 42,000 Indian migrants have crossed the southern border illegally in the fiscal year from October to September, more than double the previous year, according to data released last month by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. An additional 1,600 Indians have also entered from the northern border, which is four times the number in the last three years combined, reported the Wall Street Journal.
Nonprofit organizations along the border are adapting to the increasing number of Indian migrants. Most of the migrants reportedly turn themselves into Border Patrol after crossing into the U.S. to seek asylum.
Factors for crossing the border: The factors leading to the surge include Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies, success stories of migrants circulating on social media and an influx of smugglers posing as travel agents, especially in northern Indian states like Punjab and Haryana.
Legal pathways for Indians entering the U.S. are also strained, with long wait times for visas and green cards. Some Indian migrants seek asylum due to political and religious persecution, while others come for economic reasons. Many reportedly sell their possessions to fund their journey with the help of professional smugglers. But the journey is perilous, leading to tragic deaths.
Global trend of mass migration: The illegal border crossings reflect a global trend of mass migration, with an unprecedented number of migrants coming to the U.S. from countries beyond Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Ecuador. According to the report, 2 million people from around the world were arrested for illegal border crossing at the end of the 2023 fiscal year.
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