Five fold rise in Indians trying to enter US illegally after pandemic

Latest data from the US Customs and Border Protection (UCBP) has shown that a record 96,917 Indians were apprehended while unlawfully crossing into the United States between October 2022 and September 2023. Of the 96,917 Indians, 30,010 were caught at the Canadian border, and 41,770 were caught at the Mexico border, according to a Times of India report. The rest were tracked down after successfully making it into the US. The new number marks a fivefold increase over the 19,883 Indians caught in the year 2019-20. These figures represent only recorded cases, and Law Enforcement agencies warn the actual number is likely to be significantly higher. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. For every person caught at the border, there may be at least 10 others who successfully infiltrated the US,” a Gujarat Police officer was quoted as saying by TOI. Gujarat and Punjab are major contributors to this illegal influx, with many individuals from these states aspiring to lead a better life in America, according to Gujarat police officers probing illegal immigration rackets cited by TOI. Those arrested are classified into four categories: unaccompanied children, children accompanied by family members, entire families, and single adults. Of these single adults make the majority with 84,000 being apprehended at the US border. Alarmingly, 730 unaccompanied children were also detained. The illegal influx is believed to have surged after the end of the pandemic-era border policy Title 42 in May, which allowed the US to swiftly deport illegal immigrants without asylum hearings. Despite the tragic incidents involving families attempting illegal entry, the flow of illegal immigration persists, despite efforts by the Gujarat police and Indian, US, and Canadian agencies to combat the issue. According to TOI, sources within central agencies and the Gujarat police have reported that while many Indians are apprehended in the US each year, very few are deported, as some manage to secure shelter there on humanitarian grounds.