American dream luring Indians big way, data shows 855% jump in asylum seekers in 3 years

The allure of the American dream is driving a significant surge in asylum applications from India, with a dramatic 855 per cent increase over the past three years, new data from the US Department of Homeland Security shows.

In fiscal year (FY) 2021, there were 4,330 asylum seekers from India. By FY 2023, that number had ballooned to 41,330, reflecting a growing desire among Indians to seek new opportunities and security in the United States.

Indian officials attribute much of the rise to applicants from Gujarat, with reports suggesting that close to half of all Indian asylum seekers in the US come from the western Indian state.

More from World

Nepal's new PM pays homage to people died during the Gen Z protest in her first national address This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

In 2023, Indians ranked as the fifth largest nationality seeking defensive asylum, a type of application made after an individual is already in the US and faces deportation. They also ranked seventh for affirmative asylum applications, where individuals seek asylum before facing removal proceedings. The data reveals that 5,340 Indians were granted asylum in FY 2023, with the majority receiving defensive asylum (2,630) compared to affirmative grants (2,710).

The jump in asylum seekers is striking. In FY 2021, Indian applicants filed 4,330 cases, which included both affirmative (2,090) and defensive (2,240) applications. By FY 2022, the number of applications nearly tripled to 14,570. In FY 2023, the total surged again, reaching 41,330, nearly three times the number of applicants in the previous year.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

The increase in asylum grants has been equally dramatic. In FY 2021, 1,330 Indians were granted asylum, with the majority (700) receiving affirmative asylum and 630 defensive. By FY 2022, that number more than tripled to 4,260, and in FY 2023, it grew further to 5,340. Asylum grants through affirmative applications increased from 700 in 2021 to 2,710 in 2023, while defensive asylum grants rose from 630 to 2,630 during the same period.

India now ranks as the fifth-largest nationality for defensive asylum grants in the US, a position that highlights the increasing number of individuals seeking to remain in the country due to concerns over safety, economic opportunity, or political persecution.

The growing number of Indian asylum seekers is part of a broader trend in global migration, with many looking to the United States as a place where they can pursue opportunities for work, safety, and a better future. Despite the challenges of the asylum process, including long wait times and legal hurdles, the promise of the American dream remains a powerful draw for many.